Halo: The Return Home
by Auralee
Summary: Sequel to Halo: The Secret Spartan. Master Chief, Blade, and old friends reunite, only to find a new version of an old threat waiting for them. Rating may go up in future. COMPLETE!
1. Prologue: Spartans Never Die

Hey all! I'm back and ready to present the sequel to Halo: The Secret Spartan! Basically, Blade and co. are back, only this time with new friends and new problems! Enjoy reading and I'll update when I can!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Halo: The Return Home

Cast: Main Characters (new since Secret Spartan)

**Arisaya:** A descendent of the legendary Forerunner scientist Alaya, Arisaya lacks her ancestor's knowledge and capabilities, but makes up for it with her intuition and gentle nature. While timid, she does her best to stand up for what she thinks is right

**Arnyris:** Hot-headed and slightly arrogant, this young human serves the Forerunner exiles as a soldier. Slow to trust and highly judgemental, Arnyris is nonetheless loyal to his people and the Forerunners.

**Samuel Frederic Spartan:** One of Laura and John's twin children, Sam tends to be the brawn behind various pranks devised by his sister Kelly. Never far from his sister, people have learned to keep on their toes—you never know what to expect from them

**Kelly Linda Spartan:** Sam's twin sister, and theoretically the sneakier of the two, Kelly plans while Sam acts. But hurt her brother and she displays the fiery temper her mom is famous for.

**Prologue**

**March 2, 2554**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

_"Spartans never die."_

That was their motto, and in a sense it was true. The courage of a Spartan never wavered, or so people said; it was one reason that they became the heroes they were. No one knew, though, how hard a Spartan's life really was, except for the Spartans themselves—even then, they accepted it as their lot in life, all but one.

John sat quietly underground, watching as two young infants slept in their respective cribs. Nearby he could hear the sounds of an operation going on, but his curiosity was not aroused; he knew it was an attempt to save someone who wasn't supposed to exist, an experiment that had led to the creation of himself and his teammates. She only had a slim chance of survival at best, but he knew she was strong enough to make it through—hadn't she proven herself time and again?

_"Spartans never die."_

Except they did, he'd seen it often enough. He'd watched his team, the only family he'd known, die protecting the UNSC. And now he knew he could easily lose the last remaining member of the SPARTAN-II project, the last family he had, apart from the two children in front of him, his children.

He didn't know what had happened to Fred and the others—they'd been sent to Zeta Doradus on a mission, after the UNSC had been contacted by Dr. Halsey. Dr. Halsey, who had kidnapped one of his teammates, but he trusted it was for a good reason. She had always looked out for them as best she could, he trusted her and believed she was helping in her own way.

He hoped that they were still alive.


	2. Chapter 1: Trapped

Heyas! Chapter 1 is up and running, though it'll be a while before I can upload. College is done, so I'll be at the mercy of dial-up for about 4 months (sigh). I will continue with this, though I'm always willing to accept ideas--if you feel the need, send 'em my way! :D

**Bold**--Forerunner language; _Italics_--thoughts or memories; _**Bold Italics**_--memories of a memory (trust me, it makes sense later on)

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter One: Trapped

_Somehow Fred could understand the words that the woman said. _That circlet transfers memories_, he remembered finally. _Somehow she transferred their language into my head!_ The thought was both intriguing and frightening all at once._

_"Yes. Alaya built this device with the intent of swift teaching, and aiding those who no longer remember. I only understand a little of her work, but she was a brilliant scientist and a strong warrior: she is a legend among us now." She approached the others with the circlet, and was pleased when the old woman came forward. Once the transfer was complete, Dr. Halsey was just as surprised as Fred had been._

_"This is an incredible piece of technology. I would be honored to examine it."_

_"You are a scientist as well?" Arisaya was pleased to hear this; there were so few people she could talk to about her ancestor's work, for no one wanted to hear. Continuing with her task, she still listened to the woman's words—for her, it was simple to divide her attention between tasks and still complete them with ease._

_"Quite. I have so many questions about this place, your people, and of the Covenant."_

_"Covenant? What is that?" She seemed puzzled as she continued the transfer on yet another of the strange humans._

_"A group of races trying to wipe us out," Fred replied._

_Arisaya shook her head sadly. "Alaya feared this would happen. But all such matters go before the Council. As you are strangers, they must decide your fate; we have to be careful because of the Flood. This will help you make your case." She finished the transfer on the last of the newcomers and stood. "Come with me, there is nothing to fear." After a moment's pause, she added, "Perhaps it would be wisest if you left your weapons behind; I promise you will have no need of them here, and that no one will harm you." The Spartans hesitated for a moment, then put their weapons down at Dr. Halsey's nod._

_"It looks like we're going to be here a while," Kelly commented._

**Estimated March 6, 2554 1802 hours**

**Planet Onyx, Unidentified Alternate Dimension**

Arisaya was nervous, but did her best to hide it. It was rare that one of her standing ever came before the council, especially regarding a matter as important as this one. When she heard what the newcomers had had to say, her final hopes were crushed: to save themselves, they had destroyed the shield-world, and with it the gateway leading back to their own dimension. Their last hope of returning to their ancient home was gone.

"**Arisaya, have you anything to say?**" The council master, a San 'Shyuum (Prophet), looked at her. Perhaps it was because she was Alaya's descendent, but it seemed as though the whole of her world now looked to her for answers. _If only I could give them the answers they wanted_, she thought sadly.

"**My ancestor's research, and perhaps other ancient records, may hold some clue as to rebuilding the gateway, but I am unsure how to make it work. Without the shield-world on the other side, there may be no way to return.**" There was a remote possibility that she could find a way to create a temporary portal, but it was minute at best. _No need to raise false hopes for something that may ever come true._

"**Are you saying there is nothing to be done?**" One of the Sangheli (Elites) on the council demanded; later she would recall how he was one of the few council members that had seemed distraught by this information.

Arisaya glared at him. "**I am saying that there are no guarantees. Would you have me lie and build false hopes, hopes that may ruin everything our empire once stood for?**" Her scowl deepened. "**Had you asked any of the Ancient Ones, they would have said the same!**"

A stir at the back of the room brought all attention to the newcomers. The giant human warriors stood ill at ease, but the elderly woman was quite calm. She moved forward and waited for permission to speak.

"**If I may, I would like to see this research for myself. There may be a solution that has been overlooked, simply because it's right in plain sight.**" _Dr. Halsey_, Arisaya remembered. _She said she was a scientist, perhaps she can help us._

"**And just how would you help us, **_**intruder?**_" The harsh human voice could only belong to Arnyris, causing Arisaya to shake her head. _Warriors_.

"**I am a scientist, and I have spent a considerable amount of time studying the Forerunner Empire. If nothing else, I would deem it an honor to see all that you and your ancestors have accomplished.**" The woman's pretty words seemed to have some sort of effect; the council began murmuring amongst themselves. Arisaya noticed a few members glancing uneasily at the woman, and she found herself wondering how she could be seen as a threat. After a time, the council master turned back to the assembly.

"**We will reconvene in two days' time. You shall have our decision then.**"

**Estimated March 6, 2554 2139 hours**

**Planet Onyx, Unidentified Alternate Dimension**

"You took a risk, Doctor," Chief Mendez said as soon as the group was alone.

"A calculated risk," Dr. Halsey replied calmly. "No doubt they're wondering what harm my seeing their secrets would do." A small smile graced her features. "If nothing else, I had the young scientist listening."

Fred looked up from the back of the room, where he watched the others attempt to relax: Lucy and Tom were crouched by the door, Mark and Ash were setting up bedrolls, and Olivia was nowhere to be seen, as usual. Linda and Kelly were next to him, keeping an eye on the SPARTAN-IIIs that they still didn't quite trust.

"Arisaya seems unusual, almost like she doesn't belong. It almost seems like she's a relic from a forgotten time in their history." _Kind of like Blade, only smarter,_ he thought. Oddly enough, the similarity didn't surprise him, but then again, he'd seen so many strange things lately that almost nothing shocked him anymore.

"Maybe," Dr. Halsey murmured. "But then we know almost nothing about their history, their culture, or anything else. If these are indeed Forerunners, as I suspect they may be, then they may be able to help us stop the war, if we ever manage to return to Earth."

A knock at the door brought all the Spartans to alert; Lucy and Tom, at a nod from Chief Mendez, opened the door a crack and peered out. A signal from Tom indicated a friendly, and they opened a door to admit Arisaya. She seemed a bit pale, but surprisingly calm.

"**Doctor…Hal-see?**" She spoke the name slowly, sounding unsure of herself. Looking closer, Fred noticed the girl seemed _scared_, but he had no idea as to why. _She didn't seem scared of us when she put that circlet on our heads,_ he thought.

"**Yes, Arisaya, I'm here**," Dr. Halsey replied kindly. The woman came forward and held out a small computer chip.

"**The council does not know I am here, and if they did they would not be happy.**" She took a deep breath and continued, "**They may refuse to let you see my ancestor's research, on the grounds that you might use it to do harm. If they do, I have brought you a copy of Alaya's files.**"

"**Intriguing.**" Dr. Halsey looked at the chip in the girl's outstretched hand. "**Why are you doing this?**"

Arisaya's blue eyes narrowed. "**I disagree with them on multiple occasions, and part of me thinks they have become complacent here. They no longer wish to return to our home, or else they are still afraid of the Flood. I wish to return to our home, to walk on the grounds my ancestors walked, to see what they saw, and I imagine others do as well. If you can help us find a way home, it will serve us both: you return to your own people, and we return to our ancient homes.**"

"**Perhaps**," Dr. Halsey nodded. "**Thank you for doing this.**"

Arisaya nodded, then glanced to the door. "**I have to go, they expect me to be doing research. Do not let anyone see you with this, at least not until the council approves.**" Exiting the door, she disappeared into the night.

"Strange girl," Mendez commented.

"Strange, yes, but seemingly with a conscience," Dr. Halsey replied. "A conscience, and plenty of courage to defy the ruling body. I can only imagine the consequences she'll face if she's caught." Privately Dr. Halsey hoped the council would agree; she found she'd taken a liking to the young Forerunner scientist. _Brains and courage, an unusual combination._

Olivia, having taken up a guardpost outside, watched the strange woman departing, and followed her to her dwelling. Once inside, she sat at a table and put her head in her hands. _Something's wrong,_ she realized. Soft sounds of tears echoed from inside the small house, the soft sounds of a woman sobbing. Once she had stopped crying, Arisaya moved to a holographic terminal and activated the screen. Strange runic characters Olivia recognized from Onyx's Zone 67 floated above her head. She watched curiously as Arisaya touched one, prompting a video image to appear suspended above her:

_A dark-haired young woman was furiously entering commands into control panel, a look of urgency graven on her face. Footsteps sounded behind her, and a young man appeared and tried to pull her away._

"_Alaya, we must go now!" The man sounded both angry and worried._

_"Corin, you go, I'll catch up. I must activate the ring, I'm the only one who can." The woman sounded scared too, but there was a note of resigned acceptance in her voice, as if she knew she was going to die._

_"Stop being noble. You'd never make it to the ship in time."_

_"Then you go. You have to survive, I'm not that valuable. If only one of us can survive, you're it. Corin, just go!" She practically shouted that last one at him._

"_Alaya, I won't leave without you." He tried to pull her away again, but she refused to leave._

_Another figure entered behind the two, an elderly San 'Shyuum. He glanced at the man, a look passed between them. He suddenly grabbed her and brute-forced her away and over the slender bridge as the San 'Shyuum took over the controls, finishing the preparations she had nearly completed._

"_Corin, get her to safety. The two of you are the best hope for the future. Head for the shield worlds, and remember this." The old one stood silently before the panel as the woman's screams echoed around the room._

"_Thaddeus, no! NO!"_

Arisaya stopped the recording, brushing a few tears out of her eyes once again. Olivia heard a few whispered words escape her lips.

"**Alaya, if ever we needed you, it is now. If your spirit still lingers, please help us. Our people need you now more than ever.**"

**March 1, 2554 0036 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes, Classified Underground Facility**

**North America**

"_Alaya, if ever we needed you, it is now. If your spirit still lingers, please help us. Our people need you now more than ever."_

Halfway across the universe, in the dimension the Forerunners had left behind, a warrior hovered in the shadows between life and death. The whispered words echoed in the dark, and she tried to reach for them, they were her only lifeline in the night. _Where are you? I must find you!_ Her friends were lost, but she knew they were still alive somewhere. _I will find you_, she thought, before the darkness closed in.


	3. Chapter 2: The Council's Decision

Howdy! One more chapter for ya, probably the last one before I hit the road. Again, suggestions are welcome! :D Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Two: The Council's Decision

Dr. Halsey was sleepless, and found herself thinking about the data the young scientist had brought. Though she had managed to refrain from viewing the chip, it had taken all her control to remember Arisaya's warning: if she were caught with the data, the consequences could be dire. It seemed surprising, in a way, that the young girl was willing to risk death to bring her that data.

Now that she though about it, there was something about the woman, almost as if she'd seen her before. An impossibility, of course, but still…Dr. Halsey brushed aside the thought. _Maybe she reminds me of someone, but to have met her before is impossible. Until a few days ago, there were no Forerunners left alive_. Movement to her left drew her attention to Tom and Lucy, who had apparently been on watch; Chief Mendez was stirring just behind them.

"Were the two of you up all night?" she asked mildly.

"No, ma'am," Tom replied; the ever-silent Lucy merely nodded confirmation, silently supporting Tom's words. "Mark and Ash took the first watch, Linda took the second. Olivia returned in the middle of Linda's, and we have no idea where she had been."

"She was spying on our mysterious ally," Kelly glowered from the corner of the room. She and Fred had been quietly interrogating the young Spartan, and neither one appeared happy with the report, though that may have been due to Olivia having departed without anyone's knowledge or permission. "This Arisaya obviously knows more than she's letting on, especially about Halo." Dr. Halsey had briefed the Spartans on everything Cortana had discovered, as well as her own conclusions, almost as soon as they'd escaped the Covenant on Onyx.

"Any one of the Forerunners could have done that," she reminded them. "We are the strangers here, whereas the ringworlds are part of the Forerunners' history. We also have no idea what the customs are here, and it definitely seems the Covenant are part of this place, so we'll have to tread lightly. Simply put, we're the new children on the playground, and we need to learn to play by their rules for now, until we've won their trust."

The door opened suddenly, sending all of the Spartans into a defensive formation, and the now-alert Chief Mendez in front of Dr. Halsey. Standing in the doorway was a shocked Arisaya, escorted by several armed Forerunner soldiers; Fred recognized Elites and Jackals intermixed with the humans. He also noticed Arnyris in the front, remembering both the soldier and his sneering, disdainful ways from their previous meetings.

"**The council wishes to speak with you**," Arisaya murmured quietly. "**Unfortunately**," she said as she shot a glare at Arnyris, "**there are those who doubt your integrity, and have requested that you have an armed escort**."

"**Do you doubt us, Arisaya?**" Dr. Halsey asked, a soothing expression on her face.

"**No, I do not, but mine is a voice seldom heard, and seldom believed**." A sad look crossed her face as she turned away. "**The council is waiting. I doubt you will wish to make them wait longer—they are unused to being crossed**."

Arisaya scowled as Arnyris caught up with her, leaving the rest of his unit to look after the strangers. _What does he want now?_

"**Arisaya, why do you trust them? Do you have no sense at all?**" he whispered urgently.

"**Why does it matter, Arnyris?**" she shot back quietly. "**I have seen no reason not to trust them, and they have carried themselves with more dignity and integrity than I have seen from you since childhood, yet you doubt both me and them in the same breath! If I give them my trust, that should be enough for both you and the council!**"

"**It is easy to fool someone like you, Arisaya, you are not skilled at uncovering deception**." Arnyris' voice was now strangely calm, almost placating, but she heard the insult clearly, whether he meant to say it or not. _He's trying to cajole me into silence_, she thought in disgust. "**They could easily be lying, and because you are so trusting—**"

"**I do not give my trust so lightly, Arnyris**," she scowled. "**I believe them when they speak, and they do not seem to be liars, especially not the warriors. For that matter, I saw part of their lives when they wore the circlets: they could not hide that, even if they knew how**." She didn't tell him of the dark-haired warrior she'd glimpsed in their memories, or of the horrors she'd seen them suffer. It was for the newcomers to speak of, and then only when they chose to do so.

"**Maybe, but I would watch them all the same**," Arnyris muttered.

"**Your concern is noted, but misplaced. I have no need to fear them, at least no more than I fear you**." A small smile lit her blue eyes at Arnyris' stunned look, and she moved back to the newcomers.

"**I do not know what will happen, but assume the worst**," she murmured softly. Fred and Chief Mendez listened to the girl's words, but it was Dr. Halsey who replied.

"**Spoken like a true scientist**," she smiled, and then patted the other woman's hand, a gesture as unfamiliar to the Spartans as a friendly embrace. Arisaya smiled slightly, but the faint smile did not quite reach her eyes; she was still worried, and rightly so, about the council's decision.

"**Arisaya, step forward**." The Council Master's voice carried throughout the chamber, and it carried a weight of command. The young scientist had no choice but to step forward and bear the scrutiny of her entire world; she knew, though, that the alternative could easily have been far greater.

"**These strangers, do you trust them?**"

"**I do, Council Master, and my trust is not something lightly given**." _As anyone here will know_, she thought silently.

"**Have you evidence to support your trust in these newcomers?**" The old San 'Shyuum's words both shocked and frightened her: how did she answer honestly to such a question? _There is no proper answer_, she realized, praying that the ancestors would aid her.

"**I have seen evidence, but it is not yet time for it to be brought to light**," she murmured, her voice barely carrying in the crowded chamber. "**When it is time, I will reveal all**."

"**You mean you will give us no reason to trust these strangers, who ask to see our greatest histories and files?**" a Sangheli demanded, a mixture of anger and outrage edging into his tones. Arisaya held her head high, proud and unrepentant, matching the indignant look in the older being in the eyes, unwaveringly holding his gaze.

"**You ask difficult questions, and I have no answers for them. What would you have me say? Should I betray confidences that rest in our highest beliefs merely to give you a reason to direct your actions, or should I keep silent and trust that my own integrity will suffice? If any one of you were to find these strangers trustworthy, no one would question it, but since it is one of the lesser beings who trusts them you question everything!**" She looked at each of the council members in turn, blue eyes meeting gray or green or black. "**I trust them, and that should be enough for any of you. As a scientist it is my duty to question everything until I see proof, and I trust nothing quickly or easily. For them to have earned my trust so quickly should be more than proof enough**."

"**Arisaya**," the Council Master's voice was almost pleading, but Arisaya swore she heard condescension in his tone, "**we do not believe you untrustworthy, but we must have some reason to release these files. What reason can you give?**"

She glanced back to the strangers, looking for some sign of approval, since she was being forced down a dangerous path: she would have to tell the council what she had seen. The elderly doctor gave her a nod, which was followed by nods from the other two, more commanding men. Looking back to the council, Arisaya held the Council Master's gaze with her own.

"**They wore the circlet, and I have seen their pain, their trials, enough to know they are worthy of my trust. But what I have seen I will keep to myself, for now**."

Dr. Halsey watched silently as Arisaya debated with the council, proclaiming her trust yet trying to protect their secrets. _Definitely a woman of integrity_, she mused. _ONI could learn a thing or two from her_. Finally the Council Master looked at Arisaya, then at Dr. Halsey and the Spartans.

"**You may have access to Lady Alaya's research notes, but only those which pertain to the shield-worlds. In time, we may allow you more, but you must first prove yourselves worthy of our trust**."

Once the decision had been made, Dr. Halsey noticed Arisaya's face regain some of its color. She bowed respectfully to the members of the council and returned to the back of the room, her blue eyes betraying her considerable relief. _She was worried,_ Dr. Halsey thought. Of course, any sane person would have been, especially if they'd secretly provided files before their distribution had been authorized. _Courage and integrity. She could almost have been a Spartan, if she'd been with the UNSC_. Once again she found herself wondering where she'd seen Arisaya before. The logical part of her mind declared it impossible for them to have met, but where these Forerunners were concerned, logic seemed to have been twisted into an entirely new concept.

Arisaya approached the group, and the doctor collected her scattered thoughts.

"**The council has allowed you to remain in the city, for a time. They still feel the need for you to be watched, so you are to live in my home. I give you my word that you will be treated decently, for a change**." The obvious slight on her integrity had hit home, whether she would openly admit it or not.

"**Thank you**," Dr. Halsey replied kindly. "**And what about the others we brought with us?**" The girl seemed puzzled at first, then her face brightened a bit.

"**Our doctors and scientists are attending them as we speak. It may take some time, but we will have them removed and healthy. I have asked to be notified as soon as they are released**." Her blue eyes dimmed a bit. "**We as a race have not seen this kind of technology for many millennia, nor had we ever had need of it, but the Ancient Ones left us their wisdom and the means to use their tools. It should not be long before your friends are free**."

"**I trust you, Arisaya, when you say this. You have more integrity about you than many I have known**." Dr. Halsey smiled, and was pleased to see Arisaya smile again. _She's a good girl, I think. I daresay we'll get along just fine._


	4. Chapter 3: Learning Curves

Hey all! I'm back with a new (albeit short) chapter for your veiwing pleasure. Enjoy! :D

"Normal Speech"; _"Thoughts and memories"; _**"Forerunner Speech"; ****_"Memory of a memory (it makes sense later, trust me!)"_**

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Three: Learning Curves

It had been about a week since the Council had agreed to allow Fred and the others to stay. Dr. Halsey had wasted no time conversing with Arisaya about the Forerunners, and the two had immediately started looking for a way back to Earth. Meanwhile, Chief Mendez and the other Spartans did their best to learn about the new culture, and made every effort to avoid attacking the various members of the Covenant. It was, to say the least, odd for them to see a human conversing easily with an Elite or a Jackal in the middle of a street.

Speaking of which, Fred noticed the S-IIIs grouped together up a street, surrounded by a number of armed and armored Forerunner warriors. _This doesn't look good_, he thought as he sprinted forward.

"What happened here?" he directed the question to Ash, who was sporting a black eye. Looking closer at one of the human soldiers, he noticed quite a few bruises and a bloody nose.

"He shoved me, sir, and ordered me to get out of his way," the young Spartan replied. "None of us moved, so he tried to hit Mark. I guess I lost control, sir. It won't happen again."

Fred scowled. "It had better not, Spartan. I don't care if he was at fault or not, once you hit him you crossed the line. Now get back to the quarters, all of you."

The three Spartans knew better than to argue; they saluted and moved in a perfect formation back to Arisaya's house. Meanwhile, Fred turned and prepared to deal with the Forerunners. Surprisingly, they seemed more impressed than angry.

"**They are good fighters, for mere children**," one of the Elites voiced, his warbling speech distorting the words a little.

"**They also have a slight aggression problem. I'll try to keep a better eye on them in the future. They know better than to finish a fight like this, at least they should**." _I'll need to talk to the Chief_, he thought. _They need to be reminded that we need to be careful. We're skating on thin ice, here—if they wanted they could execute every one of us_.

"**How is it that you allow children such as these in your ranks?**" the wounded human asked; he sounded disgusted to have been bloodied by a twelve-year-old. "**They have no discipline**." Fred inwardly bristled at the comment—he and all his teammates had been conscripted as kids, and here was someone who had no idea how hard it had been sneering at every one of them! He forced himself to keep his head, though, merely displaying a slightly more stiffened posture.

"**We have our reasons**," Fred replied curtly before turning away and heading back to Arisaya's home. He could see what had caused Ash to lose his temper, his own was a little frayed after that encounter. _Maybe I should also have a word with Arisaya, in case she knows how we could avoid this in the future._

_--_

"**So Alaya herself created the shieldworlds and the ringworlds?**"

"**No, Dr. Hal-see**," Arisaya replied hesitantly: she was still having trouble pronouncing Dr. Halsey's name. "**The ancestors had built the ringworlds to serve as science stations, for our research. They were working with bacteria at the time, and it was thought to be safer than having them on a planet's surface. When the Flood appeared, the Council began using them as staging points for military operations. While the soldiers came and went, the scientists kept trying to find new ways to fight the Flood. Alaya was one of their best researchers**."

Dr. Halsey smiled; clearly, Arisaya thought the legendary Forerunner scientist a hero. _No doubt Alaya made a significant number of discoveries. I need to learn more._ "**But she did create the shieldworlds**."

"**The Council at that time had asked her to find a safe haven, in case it was ever needed. It took her many years, but eventually she created the portals that led you here. There are others scattered throughout the galaxy our ancestors inhabited, but no one knows exactly where now. It has been many millennia since we first came here, and we have never left it**." A faint smile graced the younger woman's features. "**That is partly why it took so long for us to open the cryopods you brought with you: we have the technical readouts, but we have not used such technology in all the time we have been here. In truth, I had no idea such technology had survived the ages**."

"**Which means both of us have much to learn, young Arisaya**," Dr. Halsey stated; Arisaya nodded.

"**There is something you should see**," the girl said as she pressed a holographic control. Numerous glyphs and symbols appeared in the air above the two scientists; Dr. Halsey could read them to some degree and guessed they referred to parts of Forerunner history. Arisaya touched one of the holographic symbols, and an older image of the young scientist appeared in the air.

_"Council members, I do not understand. Why do you wish me to destroy all life?" The woman was truly surprised and visibly upset._

_"Alaya, we may have no choice but to do so. The Flood spreads throughout the galaxy with each passing day, and our forces are falling even as we speak. There may come a day when we cannot continue the fight. What would you have us do? If we do not take this action we will be destroyed, we and all sentient life within the galaxy."_

_"What of the havens I designed? Could we not use those to hide from the Flood, rather than destroy the galaxy entirely? We could hide there, wait for the Flood to go dormant at the very least until we found a more permanent solution."_

_"Alaya, you above all know how long it takes for the Flood to consume a host. Would you have multitudes of people suffering so? Would you have others go through the same pain your brother suffered?" The Council Master looked gravely into the young human's eyes, a look of sadness and regret meeting a look of hurt and grief. "Though you found a way to save him, we cannot give your cure to everyone, nor can we free those already consumed. At the least we can grant them a swift death to ease their suffering."_

_"Then what of the havens? Could they not be used as a shelter when the weapon is fired? I could design them to protect us." The council nodded, seeming as pleased at the circumstances would allow them to be._

_"We will go to the havens once we know the Flood will be stopped. You must ensure that this weapon you build will not reach us there."_

_The young scientist bowed. "I cannot promise anything, but I will do what I can."_

Arisaya stopped the recording, and played a new one: a security feed from a laboratory came online.

_Alaya worked silently, viewing the latest reports from the frontlines as she ran a series of experiments with subspace pulses. The reports were frightening: several more planets had been lost to the Flood, and their military resources were spread thin._

_"Alaya, child, are you well?" An elderly San 'Shyuum came into view beside the young woman, resting a bony hand on her shoulder._

_"As well as can be expected, Thaddeus," she replied quietly. The older being glanced at the reports and shook his head._

_"You worry overmuch, Alaya. Corin and the others will defeat the Flood, and there will be no need for this weapon the Council has requested."_

_Alaya sighed heavily. "I pray you are right, old one. Yet some part of me feels that we fight a hopeless battle. The warriors lose more soldiers to the Flood every day, while we gain no ground in fighting them or stopping them completely."_

_"We will find a way, child." The old being patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Hope springs eternal."_

_Alaya looked after him, brushing a few tears off her face. "Hope springs eternal, but what hope have we against so many? I fear we fight only to lose."_

Dr. Halsey studied the young woman on the hologram after Arisaya paused the recording. _Why does she seem so familiar?_ "**She created the weapons on the ringworlds?**"

"**She was not too pleased about it, but the reports swayed her: the soldiers were dying and the Flood were spreading**." A small smile graced her face again, but her eyes were sad. "**I believe if her brother and her lover had not been involved with the military, she would not have been swayed so easily**."

"**Brother, lover?**"

"**Her younger brother was killed by the Flood some time after this was recorded, and she had fallen in love with a platoon leader shortly afterwards. She had more than enough motivation to craft a weapon, if only to protect the man she loved and avenge the brother she'd lost. Her father was also a general, and she valued his teachings almost as much as his love**."

"**Indeed**." _Alaya was certainly a woman of many facets_, she mused. _I must certainly learn more about her._ It would take some time, but Dr. Halsey was confident she would learn what she needed.


	5. Chapter 4: Return Home

Greetings! I'm back, with the moment you've all been waiting for: THE RETURN HOME! (sound of crickets chirping) Ok, maybe not. At any rate, feel free to comment and/or make requests, just no flames please!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Four: Return Home

**March 24, 2558**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

She woke in the night, not really sure what had woken her. All she knew was that it was important. Slipping out of her bed and moving to the window, she peered out. The moon wasn't full, but she had the same feeling as if the night was calling her.

_"Alaya, if your spirit lingers still, we seek to return. I beg of you, guard us as we pass through the ancient portals, and bring us safely to our ancient homes."_

She'd heard that voice before, when she was dying it had echoed in the dark. The voice had given her something to focus on, a lifeline. Memories flashed before her eyes, memories that weren't hers but were, memories of an ancient place, a way to escape horrifying dangers. Some of them were vague wisps of things she ought to remember but couldn't, yet one thing stood out in stark relief in her mind: a planet, once a lush, fragrant world, destroyed during the war. _There's something there, something we've missed. I'm sure of it_.

"What is it?" Her lover was awake, and had seen her standing by her window.

"We have to go to Onyx."

--

**April 3, 2558**

**Onyx, alternate dimension**

Fred watched as Arisaya knelt in the grass, listening to her quiet plea.

"**Alaya, if your spirit lingers still, we seek to return. I beg of you, guard us as we pass through the ancient portals, and bring us safely to our ancient homes**."

The scientist dusted herself off and moved to board the ship that would, hopefully, take them back to their own universe. _Odd how a scientist could be so religious,_ he mused, before recalling a certain Spartan with strong religious ties. He smiled a little at the thought of seeing John and Blade again.

"Fred, still with us?" Kelly elbowed him in the ribs. Looking up, he noticed that the two of them were the only ones left to board.

"Fine, just thinking," he replied.

"Well, save it for the trip," she motioned with her hand. "If we're gonna go, we'd better go now. They might just decide to leave us behind." He nodded and followed her onto the ship.

It had taken about four years, but Dr. Halsey seemed convinced she'd 'cracked the code' for the Slipspace portal. With Arisaya's help, they'd concocted the equations for a massive Slipspace doorway, enough to send an entire fleet through. _And an entire fleet is what we have_, he mused. Nearly everyone had elected to return to their own universe, and the ancient Forerunner worlds; a few families had chosen to stay behind.

Pausing, Fred glanced at the side of the ship. The name was emblazoned on the side of the craft, in Forerunner hieroglyphics, but he had learned to read them over the years. The ship's name almost made him laugh out loud.

_Alaya's Hope._

**April 3, 2558**

**UNSC Survey Ship **_**Aquilae**_

**Zeta Doradus System**

John strode through the corridors of the _Aquilae_, trying to find his fellow Spartan. _She's wilier than I gave her credit for_, he mused, thinking back to how she managed to pull the survey together.

_"Lord Hood, thank you for seeing us so quickly, and so unexpectedly."_

_"Not a problem. You said you had something important to discuss, something regarding the war." She nodded, and John watched her closely. Outwardly, she projected calm and confidence, but the slight twitch in her neck gave away her worry._

_"I won't mince words, Admiral, it's not my style. You remember the last transmission from Zeta Doradus, from Onyx shortly before it blew?" Lord Hood looked surprised, but nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line. She continued, "It turned out that the entire planet was artificial, like the Halo installations. We lost contact with the Spartans sent to recover technology reported by Dr. Halsey shortly before the planet was destroyed. Everyone assumed they were dead."_

_"Yes, yes, I know all this," Hood began, but stopped when she held up her hand._

_"Admiral, you may think me foolish for saying this, but I have…intelligence…that ONI is lacking. Onyx was intended as a sort of safe house, to try and protect the Forerunners. It's possible that the Spartans may still be alive somehow."_

_"You're sure? This isn't just a wild goose chase?"_

_"No, sir, I'm not sure, but there's a strong possibility that it's the case." She started twisting her fingers, suddenly unsure. "Sir, I'd like to send a ship to take a look. Even if we don't find the other Spartans, there may still be something that we overlooked before."_

_Hood was silent for a while. "I'll need to consider it. Spartans, I'll let you know when I've decided."_

Eventually, she'd won out with her arguments, and ONI had been forced to back their mission. They'd even given them both uniforms complete with lieutenant's bars, so the captain of the _Aquilae_ would take them a bit more seriously. _Tools, just like this ship_, he thought.

He finally found her, poring over reports from various trips to the Zeta Doradus system. Her dark brown hair was hanging loosely down her back, a change of pace from her usual braid. Without looking up, she smiled.

"Still not comfortable on ships, John?"

"I'd much rather have my feet on the ground," he replied, sliding into a chair beside her. "How soon until we arrive?"

"Ten minutes I think. They're going to call us when we get in system." She looked up, concern reflected in brown eyes.

"I don't know what we'll find there. If these reports are true, there's nothing to find, but I can't help but feel that there's something we've overlooked."

"We'll see what we find when we get there," he attempted to reassure her. Gently touching her face, he raised it so that he was looking directly into her eyes; she was worried, but doing a good job of hiding it. "If you have a feeling like that, since you have Forerunner memories in your head, there's probably something to them."

"Hey, you have Forerunner memories too. And yet, you still think I have some special intelligence," she teased, a sparkle of laughter finally coming to her eyes. He remembered the first time he'd seen laughter there: he and his team been eating dinner with her, her mother, and General West, and she'd joked about the dinner rolls.

"My memories are more of a lovesick captain's than of a respected scientist's," he smiled.

"Hardly respected, seeing as she was barely known," she replied, eyes dropping to the deck. John cupped her chin with one hand and raised her face again, holding her eyes with his own.

"She had his respect, and his love, that's all that mattered." _Just like you have mine, even if you didn't want it at first_, he thought, and he knew she saw it in his eyes. He moved in closer and kissed her, the files and their being in the open driven from their minds for a good five minutes. When they finally broke apart, John was grinning like a four-year old. _Good thing we didn't get caught._

"That was close."

"Yeah, that was close. What were you thinking?" she teased, her smile matching his.

"I was thinking about how best to keep you from worrying," he replied, gently touching her face. A few strands of her dark hair drifted around her head; he gently brushed them back and leaned closer…

_**"All hands, standby for Slipspace exit. Repeat, standby for Slipspace exit."**_

_Lousy bad timing_, he thought as he watched her stand up, pulling her hair into a quick knot as she headed for the bridge.

--

The two uniformed ONI officers watched from the back of the bridge of the _Aquilae_, trying not to interfere with the normal workings of the bridge crew. One of them, a female lieutenant, looked up as an alarm began to sound on one of the sensor panels.

"What is it?" Her voice was soft, but the technician she'd addressed still sensed something dangerous about it. He shot up in surprise, missing the woman's grimace.

"Ma'am, there's a subspace anomaly on the sensors. It's nothing the computers have ever seen before."

The woman stiffened imperceptibly. "Let's see it, son." A frown crossed her face as she studied it intently. After some times she moved to speak with the ship's captain.

"Sir, I respectfully request that we move closer and investigate this anomaly. This is something we've never encountered before, and it would do well to obtain a full record for analysis." The other ONI lieutenant stood a little straighter, almost as if he were surprised by the request; barely seen by the bridge crew, the two shared a look, one curious, the other reassuring.

"As true as that may be, Lieutenant, my first priority is the safety of my ship and crew." The lieutenants seemed unfazed by the captain's words. She smiled reassuringly at the other officer, but anyone who looked closely could almost see a cold, calculating look in the woman's eyes.

"Of course, Captain. I don't expect you to waste lives for no reason. However, it would still be possible to observe this anomaly and jump to Slipspace if any danger presented itself, would it not?"

"Yes, it would, but why is ONI interested in spatial anomalies?" One could almost see the wheels turning in the lieutenant's head.

"ONI has its reasons, and it's hardly my place to question. Our orders are clear: observe any and all spatial phenomenon in this sector. If you're worried for your crew, I believe I can assure you that there is minimal risk in this sector from spatial anomalies." The trump card: ONI had ordered the mission, and she'd skillfully reminded them of that fact. The captain had no choice but to acquiesce.

"Very well. Navigation, move us closer to the coordinates of the spatial anomaly. Begin data recording as soon as we're in range." As the bridge crew went about their duties, they couldn't help but notice the two ONI officers conferring quietly.

--

"**We are about to cross through the portals**," Arisaya murmured to the others. She was uneasy: there were so many ways that this could still go wrong. Still, she had to hope. _Alaya, guide us safely,_ she prayed; while the Forerunners had had their own pantheon of gods, it was not uncommon for one to call on a specific ancestor during troubled times. Arisaya had modeled much of her life against the legendary Alaya, and trusted in her ancestor to aid her now.

"**We're ready when you are**," the one called Kelly called. She liked Kelly: the older woman was deadly in many respects, but she was also kindly, often expressing emotions and feelings that her comrades could not. Over time the two had developed a friendship of sorts, though Arisaya was unsure exactly what kind of friendship.

Pushing her wayward thoughts aside, Arisaya began to open the ancient doorway.

--

"Sir, reading multiple contacts inbound from the spatial anomaly! I count at least four large vessels and several smaller ships." The weapons officer was panicky as he relayed the information, but then that amount of opposition would scare anyone.

"All hands to battle stations! Red alert!" The captain took command of the situation as he was trained; what he didn't expect were the two ONI officers moving up behind him.

"Belay that! Those ships would tear us to pieces. Tactically, we have no chance." The woman didn't outrank the captain, but she had ONI's backing, which leveled the playing field considerably.

"Lieutenant, you will maintain silence or you will be removed from the bridge."

"I doubt it. For one thing, ONI is the one responsible for this survey, and I will only answer to them. Most of the time I won't interfere, but this is an exception. Our ships would never withstand a battle against these forces, surely you must see that." She seemed almost angry now, but was trying hard to keep relatively calm.

"Then what would you suggest? The last time we tried to communicate with an alien race we were plunged into a war!"

The bridge crew realized just then how lucky they were to be merely observers: the ONI officer nearly blew a gasket.

"Do you think I don't know that? I lost my father and my older brother in that war, and nearly lost everything else I cared about!" The momentary lapse of control startled everyone, except for the other ONI lieutenant: it was almost as if he'd seen in before. He just watched as the woman regained her composure.

"Even so, I think communication is our best course of action. Make sure everyone is ready to jump out, though, in case things get ugly." Brushing past the captain and most of the crew, she moved to a communications station and began tapping commands.

--

"**We're being hailed**," Fred called from somewhere on the bridge. He didn't quite understand the communication, though. Moving aside, he let Arisaya and Dr. Halsey see the odd words.

_Hope springs eternal, but what hope have we against so many?_

"**Alaya said that once**," Arisaya murmured at last, though she sounded puzzled. "**I remember reading it in one of our histories. She spoke of the Flood and how the fight was almost hopeless when she said that**."

"**But if Alaya said it, how could any humans know of it?**" Dr. Halsey mused. Fred had a suspicion as to who could have known, but wasn't sure how to relate it to the others.

"**Do I dare respond to them? Could it be a trick?**" Arisaya asked; behind them the warrior Arnyris was trying to gain her attention, but she was ignoring him studiously. Fred finally came to a decision.

"**Let me send the response. I have a feeling I know exactly who sent it**."

--

Fred, Linda, and Kelly were foremost in the docking bay as the Pelican landed; behind them were the S-IIIs, Dr. Halsey and Chief Mendez, and a contingent of Forerunner warriors. Arisaya stood slightly behind Dr. Halsey, a worried look on her features.

The hatches on the dropship opened, and the Spartans watched as a captain and two lieutenants in ONI uniforms exited the craft. Fred didn't spare a glance at the other two, but instantly moved forward to greet the first ONI officer, a tall human with buzz-cut brown hair and dark eyes, lieutenant's bars and a golden eagle insignia on his uniform.

"Good to see you again, John." Fred smiled slightly, the closest Spartans usually got to expressing emotion; they'd learned a long time ago not to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

"Fred, Linda, Kelly. I never thought I'd see you again. What's going on? Where's Will?" John asked the questions rapid-fire, apparently forgetting about his two companions, specifically the other ONI lieutenant. A gasp of surprise drew their attention to the woman lounging against the Pelican, a look on her face that suggested all was well. Dark hair was pulled into a simple knot at the base of her neck, dark eyes took in her surroundings with ease, and her uniform was plain except for lieutenant's bars and a pair of crossed silver knives over the right breast; a pair of sheathed combat knives were belted around her waist. She finally moved forward, traces of a smile on her face.

"I had a feeling there were still Forerunners around, hidden away somewhere. Never thought they'd hide in another dimension though. Whoever did think of that was thinking on their feet. How'd you find them, Fred?" The woman's eyes flickered over the younger Spartans, and she seemed highly amused. " And who're the squirts?"

"Nice to see you too, Blade," Fred grinned, knowing exactly what her reaction would be. This time, however, he was in for a surprise.

"Blade" swung at his head, _deliberately_ missed (which was something she never did), and nailed him lightly in the shoulder.


	6. Chapter 5: Reunions, Of Sorts

Greetings from the Land of Slow Internet! I'm back with a new chapter, full of flashbacks and reunions, and Blade. Feel free to critique--feedback is much appreciated, flames will result in chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Five: Reunions, Of Sorts

**Forerunner Ship **_**Alaya's Hope**_

**Zeta Doradus System**

**April 3, 2558**

Kelly watched the strange woman as she hit Fred in the shoulder. It was plain that he had allowed the contact, but why? A closer look revealed a spark in the other woman's dark eyes, a very familiar spark that she hadn't seen in about thirty years.

"_Did you lose something?" The other girl looked at her, dark eyes both surprised and alert. It was the face of someone who'd been tricked before, but looked out of place on a twelve-year-old civilian girl._

"_Actually, I was looking for pinecones for my grandma," she replied in a tone of false innocence. She was clever, really, in guessing that Kelly was smarter than most kids. "She hasn't been feeling very well lately, and I thought they would cheer her up. She's always had a thing for pinecones, ever since I can remember; my brother and I used to go on walks and bring some back for her to add to her collection." The girlish chatter was extremely irritating, and Kelly found herself annoyed. No doubt the girl would have kept going if it hadn't been for the sound of four angry Marines approaching. She watched as the odd civilian stiffened and shoved her behind a tree._

"_Probably ONI, stay put until I get rid of them," she hissed urgently, a spark in her eyes that changed her entire demeanor._

The girl had been a visitor to Reach, or something, Kelly wasn't sure which. What she did know was that the mysterious civilian seemed…well…she acted like one of them. And like this Blade woman standing in front of her, she'd had dark hair and dark eyes...unless the girl had grown up. _If she had, she'd probably look exactly like this_, Kelly realized.

"You're lucky I've mellowed out recently," she was saying, her eyes betraying how pleased she really was to see them. The glittering brown gaze landed on her suddenly, and after a moment's hesitation she spoke. "Kelly?"

That clinched the memory: the girl and this Blade were the same person. "I would've thought you'd forgotten," she replied quietly.

"Hardly. You were the only good thing I remember from that trip. What happened to you? Where'd you wind up after Reach?"

Kelly noticed Fred was about to reply when she heard a gasp from Arisaya and Arnyris, who finally got a good look at the newcomer.

--

Arnyris scowled at the strange woman conversing with the others in the rapid chatter he barely understood: these outsiders had played a neat trick on them, but the human woman was not Alaya. Her looks were almost an exact copy, but even his eyes could see the differences.

"**Arisaya, do not be deceived**," he whispered urgently. "**She is not Alaya, the newcomers seek to outwit us**."

"**But how then could they know of Alaya or our history? Even Dr. Hal-see and her friends did not, not until they came to us**." The two Forerunners stopped when Blade caught them in a knowing stare; she seemed to know exactly what they had said, though she did not know their language.

"I see we have a lot of catching up to do, starting with Alaya's descendant. I assume she is such?" At Fred's nod she smiled, her gaze landing on Arnyris and his warriors. "Oh yes, definitely a lot of catching up to do."

"**You will learn nothing from us, stranger**," Arnyris growled in his own language; the woman attempted to move past him, but he blocked her path and shoved her away.

Moments later he found himself on the floor, a heavy weight on his back and his arm twisted to the side. A low voice whispered in his ear, "**Do not do this again if you value your life**."

--

Arisaya watched in surprise when the woman called Blade bested Arnyris. Not only had she done so speedily, she had used a combat move that had not been used since Alaya's time, a move that only a few of the finest warriors could replicate. It was not possible, yet there Arnyris lay before her, pinned to the deck by the stranger's own body.

_Do not do this again if you value your life._ She had barely heard the whisper, but it rang clearly in her ears nonetheless. Even more, it was spoken in her own language. _How is this possible?_

--

Laura frowned as she regarded the warrior beneath her. _Rash, especially for a youngster. He's gotten too cocky for his own good._ Apparently he saw her as a threat, in spite of Fred and the others. Granted, he couldn't have known she'd look exactly like someone from his histories, but that gave him no reason to attack her.

"Let him go, Laura," she heard Fred say; his tone almost had the force of an order.

"He threw the first punch," she replied as she let the young man get up; she smirked as she watched him rub his arm.

"Arnyris didn't mean too much harm, and he doesn't know about you." Laura met Fred's hard look with one of her own.

"Which is why I didn't do much damage, only enough for him to realize what he's dealing with." A few whispers echoed around the bay, which she promptly ignored; there had been worse sent her way, and no doubt there would be worse waiting for her back home.

An elderly woman moved forward, one she recognized from her frequent hacks into ONI's database: Dr. Catherine Halsey, the mind behind the Spartan project. Life and years of secrecy had aged her greatly, but she still had that aura of authority Laura remembered from nearly thirty years before.

_As soon as she stepped off the ramp, Laura noticed a woman in plain, business-type clothes approach._

_"Are you Laura?" When she nodded, the woman smiled warmly. "I'm Dr. Halsey."_

_"I've heard of you, Dr. Halsey. Every time Mom and Dad's superiors come by, they whisper your name when they think I can't hear. I have good ears, better than they'd think." She grinned mischievously._

_"I'm sure you do. Would you like me to show you where you're going to be staying for your visit?"_

_"I thought I'd be staying with my mom." Her dark eyes narrowed, and she was immediately suspicious; while it seemed an innocent enough statement, something about it was…off._

_"Wouldn't you rather stay with someone your age?" Laura's suspicions grew: ONI never allowed for any social interactions when she was on a military base, and there was no reason for them to stop now. _Play dumb, Laura,_ she reminded herself silently._

_"Their parents probably wouldn't like it too much. Besides, I'd rather spend as much time with my mom as I can; sometimes we both get so busy we can't see each other." Dr. Halsey smiled at the cryptic response, seeming almost satisfied by her answer._

_"Very well, Laura. I'll take you to the quarters we've set up for you and your mom."_

Apparently Dr. Halsey didn't recognize her at all, though, judging by the expression on her face.

"Are you a SPARTAN-II?"

--

Dr. Halsey found herself surprised by the younger woman in front of her: her face was almost an exact duplicate to Arisaya, the young scientist she'd befriended, and a perfect image of the ancient Forerunner scientist Alaya. It was obvious to her, and possibly to the others, that she was a Spartan. Yet for the life of her Dr. Halsey couldn't place her on Reach, even if there was something familiar about her.

"Are you a SPARTAN-II?" she asked, and the woman Fred had called alternately Blade and Laura glanced at her; something flickered in her eyes for a moment, but was replaced with a cool look.

"In a manner of speaking, Dr. Halsey." Laura/Blade tensed almost imperceptibly, as if in recognition of a potential threat.

"Then how come we didn't ever see you on Reach?" Chief Mendez asked from behind them; it was the first he'd spoken through this entire exchange.

"You did, for about two weeks, then they shipped me back to Earth. I'm not surprised you don't remember me, I wasn't one of 'your' trainees." A bitter smirk crossed the woman's features. "I daresay you'll remember an incident involving four Marines and a late-night ambush, though. Especially you, Chief Mendez, since you handled the accusations."

_Incident?_ Dr. Halsey had to think for a moment, then she remembered:

_Dr. Halsey entered the room, followed Chief Mendez and four Marines that had filed an incident report. The young girl they'd come to see had apparently just finished dressing; she turned in surprise and began slowly backing towards the window. _

_"Well, Laura, you've certainly put these Marines in a very bad mood." Dr. Halsey's tone was even, but she could see the girl didn't trust it one bit. It was obvious to the doctor that she had secrets she wanted to keep, but obviously knew lying wouldn't help her. After a millisecond of thinking, the girl spoke harshly._

_"They had it coming, attacking me without provocation. Besides, why should I care how they feel, when no one here has even given a thought to my feelings? Since I came here I've only had one person besides my mom tell me the truth: everyone else has been lying to me from Day One, and I've had enough!" Dr. Halsey couldn't blame her for being angry, and was quite impressed by her outburst, but didn't show it; Mendez and the others just stared at her._

_"You say they attacked you first?" Mendez asked; thank goodness the man had some sense in him._

_"Yes, twice. Once two days ago, and once last night. Both times I had done nothing to warrant such treatment, and both times I tried to tell the truth and was rebuffed. Now, could someone please explain to me why this kind of behavior is allowed, especially when directed at visitors?" The girl was getting impatient, and annoyed, something that wasn't often seen in a Spartan trainee. Glancing about the room while she formulated her reply, Dr. Halsey noticed the bag of pinecones on the floor next to the child's sleeping bag._

_"Where did these come from?" she asked, picking them up and noticing the note. _'From Kelly', _it read._

_"Why do you ask?" came the sharp reply as she snatched the bag back, spilling some of the pinecones on the floor in the process._

_"Just curious. I imagine these took you a while to collect."_

_"It didn't help that these guys decided to use me as a punching bag while I was collecting them last night in the woods," the girl snapped. Plainly she was still suspicious and angry, and was hiding the fact that Kelly was somehow involved in last night's activities. _Why would she do that, though?_ Dr. Halsey was prevented from asking further questions by the sound of someone walking through the door behind them._

_"What is going on here?" It was the doctor that had arrived from Earth, this young girl's mother, if Dr. Halsey wasn't mistaken. As the twelve-year-old girl saw them turn away, she quickly took advantage of the opportunity and slipped out the door, stealthily escaping to somewhere on base._

The incident itself was clear enough, but Dr. Halsey had a hard time placing the girl, and this mysterious Blade clearly wasn't going to say more on the subject. Rather, she turned back to a man in a captain's uniform, regarding him with a somewhat arrogant look.

"I'll need to send a report back to HighCom, with your permission of course."

"Of course, ma'am," the man replied coolly. "Will you be remaining onboard the _Aquilae_?"

Dr. Halsey noted an almost imperceptible tension in the younger woman's figure. Nothing much, just a tightening of the shoulders and back, but enough for sharp eyes to see annoyance and nervousness.

"No, Captain, I'll be returning here if possible. There's a lot to learn, and only a little time before we get back to Earth." She looked over to John briefly, but the doctor noticed the silent communication that passed between the two. _I wonder what that was all about._

"The Master Chief will also be remaining here, I'll just collect a few things and send that transmission. You'll not have a thing to worry about after that." She strode off to the Pelican, followed by the other officer. Dr. Halsey couldn't help but notice the relieved look on the captain's face.

--

John shook his head as he watched Laura walk away, the faintest of smiles on his face.

"Care to explain what her deal is, Chief?" Kelly asked behind him. "She didn't seem too happy with that guy."

His faint smile disappeared to be replaced with a grim look. "That captain was ready to open fire on you as soon as you came out of that portal. All he could think of was that the Covenant were coming back, and the two of them got into a minor shouting match because of it."

Fred chuckled. "Knowing her, I'm surprised it was only a minor shouting match. You sure she didn't pull a knife on him?"

"She's changed a bit over the past four years," John answered, trying not to reveal too much. No matter how badly he wanted to tell them everything that had happened, he knew it would be best to wait until Laura was ready; she didn't quite trust them as much as he did, for reasons even he wasn't quite sure of.

"John, I've never known you to be this evasive when answering a question," Dr. Halsey commented, prompting an eyebrow from John's old mentor, Mendez.

"I don't have all the answers, Doctor. And the answers I do have were given in confidence, so I can't tell them to anyone."

"I see," was Dr. Halsey's only comment, though John wondered exactly how much she did see. With Dr. Halsey, it was hard to tell.

--

One hour and two duffle bags later, Laura stepped off a new Pelican and watched the dropship depart; as soon as it was clear she picked up one bag and handed it to the Master Chief.

"Ugh, thank goodness I'm off the _Aquilae_. That captain was beginning to annoy me." The comment brought a muffled snort of laughter, and she turned her gaze to Fred, who had an uncharacteristic grin plastered all over his face.

"Careful, kids, it's not safe to annoy this particular Spartan," he said to the S-IIIs standing nearby. "Usually someone winds up wounded when Blade gets annoyed."

Brown eyes narrowed into unreadable slits, but Laura's tone of voice spoke volumes. "I do have a name, _Spartan_," she spat, her emphasis on the word _Spartan_ noticeable, as was the venom in her voice. _You'd think they of all people would know how much I hate the name _Blade_,_ she thought irritably.

John watched the interchange, ready in case trouble broke out. He saw a flicker of regret in Fred's face when the other Spartan realized his error: they all knew she hated her codename, but sometimes forgot and used it to tease her. Normally it didn't bother her this much though…_something's wrong, otherwise why would she take offense to something that normally wouldn't bother her?_

"Sorry, Laura, I forgot," Fred's voice broke into his thoughts, and he watched as Laura waved his apology away.

"It's okay, kid, I shouldn't have snapped like that. Maybe I'm just tired." She shrugged, a smirk gracing her lips. Shouldering her duffel bag, she cocked her head at the group of Spartans and their comrades.

"Mind giving us a tour?"


	7. Chapter 6: Memorable Headaches

Hey all! Finally got the chance to sit down and update for ya! Hope this measures up to expectations, if not PLEASE critique! (flames will be used to roast hot dogs/marshmallows). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Six: Memorable Headaches

**Forerunner Ship **_**Alaya's Hope**_

**Zeta Doradus System**

**April 3, 2558**

They were midway through the tour when the first signs of trouble began.

Fred happened to glance sideways and noticed Laura holding one hand to her forehead, as if she had a headache.

"You alright?" To look at her, one could almost swear she was nervous. _Odd, she used to have a really good mask,_ Fred thought.

"I'm fine, just a slight headache. No need to worry your pretty little head over," she replied with a small smile; she never smiled often, and when she did it was usually the mysterious half-smile that drove people insane, the same smile she had now.

"You're a horrible liar, Laura, you know that?" The voice, surprisingly, was Linda's, and Fred noticed a genuine smile briefly flicker in place of the other one. _Linda was one of the few of us she allowed to connect with her_, he remembered, _her and John._

"I'm fine, guys, really," she protested, dark eyes flicking back and forth across the corridors. It was almost as if she were looking for something, but what? _No, she's not looking for anything_, Fred realized,_ that's recognition in her eyes. But she's never been here before—how could she recognize anything here?_

--

_I feel like I'm coming home._

There was really no other way to describe what she felt, this sense of belonging. Then again, how could she feel like she was coming home, when she'd never been on this ship before? _Though it was probably constructed using the old Forerunner schematics from Alaya's time_, she mused as she wandered the corridors. The tour had been brief, unsurprisingly, and after she'd been shown to a room she decided to explore on her own. She was taking a risk, wandering about unescorted, but in all honesty she didn't really care at the moment.

Laura paused in front of an unmarked door, and glanced curiously at the controls. _No sign of a lock, which means it's likely open to the general population._ Touching the control lightly, she smiled as the door opened to reveal what appeared to be a wide grassy expanse. There were any number of Forerunner citizenry nearby, enjoying the "fresh air", but at the moment all Laura wanted was solitude. She needed peace in order to deal with the grief she now carried, grief for those who had died on Onyx, Spartans fallen in battle. Will was the only one she'd known personally, and she mourned for him in her own way, but she felt for all the others that had died whom she hadn't know at all. The emotional burden, as well as the memories she held, was becoming a heavy load.

Skirting the edge of the plain, she moved until she was in relative peace. _I wonder how they can have grassy fields on a ship, even one this size_, she mused, just before she found herself surrounded by trees, trees of a type she couldn't name for the life of her. _What…there was grass here before…_She stared in shock, then chuckled quietly when she remembered some of Alaya's work. _Cycling holography, of course! _The Forerunners had, as she recalled, developed a knack for displaying holographic imagery, in a manner similar to the old (and now extremely obsolete) microfiche reels that had been used on Earth.

A "breeze" stirred the leaves above her head, and Laura calmly brushed a gently-waving branch away from her face. This proved to be a mistake, as the simple action brought to mind a memory long buried.

_She ran lightly through the wooded areas, part of her hoping to lose her pursuer, while another part hoped to be caught. The hem of her loose dress—an item of clothing she rarely ever wore—fluttered around her, catching from time to time on branches but never slowing her down. Behind her she could hear the soft sounds of booted feet in the grass, coming closer. _This will never do_, she thought, slipping behind trees and under hanging strands of creeper. She couldn't outrun him, but perhaps she could outwit him._

_"Alaya!" She slipped behind a rather wide tree and waited silently for him to leave, holding her breath so as not to give herself away. There was the sound of boots approaching her tree, then they stopped and moved away. When many moments had passed and still there was no noise, Alaya moved a few steps forward and allowed herself to breathe. _He is gone,_ she thought, right before she was caught and spun around the tree. A dark-haired, dark-eyed young man held her against the tree, his manner rough, but she felt no fear._

_"So, I have caught the elusive scientist," he laughed. She knew it was useless to struggle, not that she wanted to. _Traitorous heart!_, her mind screamed._

_"Captain, let me go." Corin held her firmly, and she knew somehow he wouldn't release her so easily._

_"Not before I claim my reward," he murmured as he pressed his lips against hers._

Laura brought her hand to her head, trying to clear away the images crowding around her. Being on this ship was going to drive her insane; the memories were crowding worse than they had since the last time she'd worn the circlet. _How soon before I go insane?_ She dropped to her knees, crouching in a fetal position as she willed the memories away, hoping the echoes of her past self would leave her be.

--

"The stranger is missing." The voice was using a halting version of standard, but the words were audible.

"Stranger?" It took Fred and Dr. Halsey a moment to realize Arnyris was referring to Laura. _Or is her name Blade?_ Dr. Halsey wondered.

"Missing? I doubt she'll have gone far, Arnyris," she smiled. "Laura probably doesn't know where she's going, let alone how to find her way to the more vulnerable areas of the ship."

John glanced up, a concerned look on his face. "I wouldn't be so sure, Dr. Halsey. Laura's…a bit different. She probably knows more than enough to navigate the ship's corridors." He glanced meaningfully at Fred and Linda, who winced in turn.

"_Holy Retribution_," Fred groaned.

John nodded. "At the very least she's exploring the ship."

Dr. Halsey, Chief Mendez, and the rest of the Spartans looked puzzled. "Care to explain what's going on?" Mendez asked.

"I wouldn't know where to begin," John shook his head. Turning to Arnyris, and ignoring the look the younger man was giving him, he asked, "Is there anyplace she could possibly go where she could be alone, besides her room?"

--

"Laura?"

She sat up, not knowing when she'd lain down on her stomach or how long she'd been like that. The scenery had changed: the woods had been replaced by a cliff overlooking a beach, and John was standing over her with a slightly concerned look on his face.

"I'll be fine, John. It's nothing." She stood up, studying the landscape around her with interest. _How often have I pictured something like this? And here it is, as real as real can be._

"You're not fine, Laura, even I can see that." He paused, regarding her with a long look. "It's the memories, isn't it?"

Laura sighed heavily, and when she replied her voice was barely audible. "I knew there was a risk, but I didn't think it would be this bad. Though if I had known, I probably would've come anyway." She shrugged. "It's going to be a rough road, between these memories and the Forerunners' distrust. Though the boy had it coming—he's too arrogant for his own good, I think. Still, I doubt they'll be too keen on making friends for a while."

"Speaking of which," John interrupted, "you may want to keep your wanderings to a minimum. After that little incident earlier in the docking bays, I don't think it would be smart for you to wander around on your own."

A broad grin spread across the other Spartan's features. "You're probably right. I just wanted a bit more of a tour than we were given, as if I really needed it in the first place. I'll head back to my room post-haste." Laura grinned even more when John rolled his eyes, a gesture she swore he'd picked up from her; she loved using older, more archaic words and phrases just to throw people off, and more often than not it evoked annoyance and the aforementioned rolling eyes.

"I'm going with you, just to make sure you head where you're supposed to."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you didn't trust me in the least."

Looking around to make sure no one was listening John spoke softly, "I love you, but there are times I don't trust you."

Laughter bubbled out of Laura's mouth, and it was a few minutes before she could reply in between giggles. "Okay, I'm going, I'm going."

--

Fred and Arnyris watched the two walk away before following at a discreet distance. Arnyris coughed slightly, then voiced something that had been bothering him about the newcomers, specifically the woman.

"How did she find her way here?"

"There's more to Laura than you think. Some of it I'm not even sure on. You'd have to ask her yourself." Fred smirked. "If you ask her politely, she's actually pretty nice about explaining herself."

--

John walked with Laura until they were outside her quarters, noticing her unusual silence. It was quite unusual for them to walk without even saying a word, but he knew that she'd open up when she was ready; besides, if he tried to pry at whatever was bothering her, it would likely be fatal for all parties involved. _She'll tell me when she's ready_, he reminded himself.

"Make sure you stay in here, at least until they decide it's safe to let you out." She actually grinned at this.

"They're not going to warm up to me for a while, John, you know that. Besides, once we hit Earth I'll be a bit too busy to worry about what they think." Both of them shared a smile at that.

"I'm sure the twins will be glad to see you when you get back," he replied. "Speaking of getting back…" She knew him all too well; an understanding look flickered in her eyes, only to be replaced by amusement.

"Go on then," she smiled and shooed him off.

He had just reached the end of the corridor when she asked, her voice sounding a little worried, "How long before I lose it?"

Turning, he answered, "I don't know, but we're here if you need us."

Laura nodded, and he turned and went back to the command deck where he'd left Dr. Halsey and Chief Mendez.

--

_"How long before I lose it?"_

She couldn't answer that for sure herself, not really. She could only recall two previous occasions when her subconscious memories had taken hold, and each time it had been difficult for her to return to her one mind. _Maybe that's how schizophrenia feels, only less so_, she mused. The last time, though, she hadn't started spouting off in another language or lost her focus completely; it was more like she was walking in a dream, as if her own life was a dream and the dream was reality.

_She could feel them, pushing against her consciousness. It was only a matter of time before the memories took hold and she was gone. Her control had gotten stronger, but the stimuli here were more powerful than anything she'd experienced previously. _Alaya must have actually been here, _she thought at the back of her mind._

_**"Alaya, child! I was not expecting you! Had I known you would be coming—"**_

_**"You would have prepared a reception that I did not desire, which is why I didn't tell you," the young woman replied with a smile. She pulled an older human woman into a strong hug. "I missed you, Myrnia."**_

_**"And I you, little one. You have grown since I saw you last. You look more like your dear mother every day." Myrnia stopped and regarded her with a keen look. "Your mother's grace and your father's will. You have a great future ahead of you, and are well on your way already."**_

_**"No, Myrnia, I don't desire a great destiny. Marin is the one destined for glory, not I."**_

_**"Be that as it may, you have the power to do great things, little one. After all, it is a rare thing when love and war mate, but when they do their offspring are limitless in their power." The older woman smiled, a faint glimmer of tears in her eyes. "But come, child, let me show you all we have accomplished since your last visit."**_

_"Laura?" The low, gravelly voice brought her back to reality; looking to her left, she saw an armored head inclined quizzically in her direction. Opening a private COM channel, she replied to his unspoken question._

_"I'll be fine, just give me a moment or two."_

_"What is it?" _If I didn't know better, I'd say he was concerned, _she mused._

_"Memories. Alaya used to walk these corridors constantly, she had friends here, very dear friends. She came to visit whenever she could, and helped with whatever happened to be going on here." She sighed heavily. "I wasn't expecting this. Keep an eye on me, I don't know how long I'll be able to stay grounded."_

_"Explain yourself, Spartan." The sharp order earned him a glare he couldn't see, not through her helmet, but it gave her something to focus on; the memories were pulling her every which way._

_"I'm not really sure myself, Chief. But from the looks of things, just being in a Forerunner structure is acting as a sort of stimulant for all these memories. It's going to get harder to keep focused, especially when we get in the science labs."_

_"Wait, did you say science labs?"_

_Laura nodded. "ONI is going to have a field day. This was a Forerunner science facility at one point, abandoned long before Halo was armed. I don't…Alaya didn't know why, she just knew it had been."_

_Two hours later, ONI gave them the go-ahead to leave the facility, and she breathed a sigh of relief. John noticed and commented on it._

_"Care to explain what happened down there?" She looked down at her boots, and when she answered her voice was uncharacteristically quiet._

_"Alaya's memories were beginning to take hold. It was as if I were wearing the circlet again, only stronger, more chaotic. So many memories, trying to pull me in so many directions…if we'd stayed longer I might've gone crazy." Laura fixed him with a strange look, one that seemed almost desperate. "If it ever happens again, promise me you'll deal with it before something happens. If I lose my mind…"_

_"You won't. Odds are we won't be going back anyway." John placed a comforting hand on her arm, and she allowed herself to doze off._

Laura shook herself free of the flashback, but continued to ponder the problem at hand. The longer she stayed onboard this ship, and in the company of these beings, the more risk there was of her losing herself to Alaya's memories. _I should've stayed on the _Aquilae, she thought.

With that bitter thought in mind, she plopped down on the bed and fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 7: Opening Up

Greetings! My apologies for the long delay--been trying to sell cappucinos and lattes at McDonald's (unsuccessfully). In case anyone's wondering, this is a bit of a flashback chapter--and an explanation of Blade's "odd behavior". Hopefully meets with approval; flames will be used for marshmallows and s'mores. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Seven: Opening Up

_**"Eilinn!"**_

_**The trees inhibited her, but she ran anyway. Her brother's widow had taken the grief of his passing with her natural grace, but she had seen the light in her green eyes dim. She had stood with her during the Silent Vigil, to honor Marin's spirit, and felt her grief, a grief so strong that it could kill the strongest heart. **_**I must find her, before she does something foolish.**

_**"Eilinn!" Her feet carried her swiftly to the cliffs, and she knew Marin's monument was close by; because of what he had become, he could not be entombed, but a marker had been raised nonetheless. She was certain this was where Eilinn, Marin's grieving bride, was headed.**_

_**There, a flash of black! Raven hair flowing freely, midnight linen catching in the light wind. The young widow was treading perilously close to the cliffs…**_

_**"EILINN! NO!"**_

"NO!" Laura shot up, nearly smacking her head against the bulkhead. The air felt cold, but then that made sense when she felt the sweat rolling down her back. She got out of bed, running a hand through damp hair as she tried to clear her head. _Was that another flashback? Had to have been, but it felt so real…_A noise close by made her whirl around, ready for a fight.

"**Forgive me, but I seem to have come at an awkward time**," the young girl stammered, speaking in the ancient Forerunner language. Laura relaxed as she recognized the young scientist from the cargo bay—Alaya's descendent. _If only I knew the girl's name,_ she thought. In an attempt to relax the girl a bit more, Laura decided to respond in the Forerunner language: she knew herself how soothing it could be to hear your own language, especially if you were around strangers.

"**Please, don't go. I…I could use the company right now**." She brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face with one hand, which she noticed was shaking rather badly.

"**Are you unwell**?" the girl asked, and Laura felt a light touch trying to push her down on the bed. She acquiesced, sitting down and turning to face the other woman.

"**Just a bad dream, of sorts. It…the whole thing is a bit complicated to explain, and even more difficult to understand**."

"**Perhaps if you spoke of it, it would help. If what I suspect is true, then maybe I could help you in some way**." _She's got guts_, Laura smiled.

"**Perhaps, but moreso if I knew to whom I was confiding**," she replied.

"**I am called Arisaya**," the young scientist murmured. _Arisaya—kind soul,_ she remembered from long ago.

"**Arisaya…your name suits you. I'm Laura**." Extending her hand, Laura was pleased when Arisaya took it in hers, a gesture she'd likely picked up from Dr. Halsey. "**I am honored**."

--

"**I am honored**."

Three words, saying so little and yet so much at once. Arisaya had no proof, but she felt certain that this woman did not take many people into her confidence. Indeed, the lines around her eyes revealed that Laura had seen much, endured much, and hidden much.

"**It is I who should be honored. I doubt you normally take strangers into your confidence so readily**." At this she laughed, a lilting melody, something Arisaya had not heard yet from her.

"**You're right, I usually don't. But I feel I can trust you with this. Besides, you're curious to hear about my…unusual behavior**." Her face took on a sad look, and somehow the young Forerunner scientist knew there were sad tales involved.

"**You know of Alaya's circlet, correct**?" She nodded, and Laura continued. "**That circlet, in a way, is where it all starts. It was a few years ago, but I remember it clearly, like it was yesterday.**

**"I was on a mission, with the other Spartans, and we found a circlet onboard the ship we'd captured. It looked so familiar, I knew there was no risk, so I put it on."** She sighed deeply and met Arisaya's eyes. "**I'm sure you've noticed my resemblance to Alaya by now. Let me assure you, I share more than her face**."

"**You hold her memories**." Arisaya was not surprised, especially when Laura mentioned the circlet. She had guessed there was a reason behind the woman's unusual behavior, and her story had confirmed what she had suspected. This strange woman was a reincarnation of Alaya, her ancestor. For a moment she marveled at the opportunity before her—here was a living link to the ancient past, someone who could remember the times before the rings were fired! _Alaya's memories, they could change everything!_ Looking up, Arisaya was surprised to see a sad look in Laura's eyes.

"**Yes, I have her memories, and sometimes I forget that I'm not Alaya. It…makes things difficult sometimes**." Arisaya did not understand, not at first. Then she realized that with two people's memories in one mind, each attempting to come to the forefront, it was entirely possible that someone might be driven to insanity.

"**It's even harder when I'm in an area that Alaya once walked, or if I'm around things she had helped create**," Laura continued, and Arisaya understood. _She is struggling to maintain a foothold. And rather than helping her, we are treating her with suspicion and imprisoning her._

"**Forgive me, Laura. I did not understand**," she began, but Laura stopped her.

"**How could you know? Not many people do, and even less know how serious this could become. It's…not exactly something I talk about much, since I don't know who I could trust with this knowledge. I don't blame anyone but myself for this. You've done nothing wrong, none of you have**." The two women sat in silence for a while, contemplating everything that had been said.

"**Is there no way for you to control these memories**?" Arisaya finally asked.

"**Not entirely, no. Once I wore the circlet and found a way, but it's fading the more time I spend on this ship. I can feel the echoes pulling at me, and it's only a matter of time before I lose myself. I'm afraid of the possibilities: if I don't go insane, I may end up becoming Alaya rather than Laura**."

"**I do not think that is possible, but I will look into it. It may be possible for me to find a way to help you, if you will trust me**." Laura said nothing for a long time, simply staring into Arisaya's blue eyes, as if she could find the answers there.

"**I trust you, Arisaya, and for me that says a lot. By now you must know I don't take many people into my confidence—after a while, one gets used to keeping secrets**." She smiled, and the lines around her eyes seemed to soften. "**I trusted you enough to tell you my fears, and I trust you enough to help me now if you can**."

"**I will help, if there is a way. I do not think you will harm us**." Arisaya stood and turned to leave, but stopped when Laura called her name.

"**Arisaya,** **what else do you want to ask me**?"

--

It had been easier than she'd thought, confiding in the young scientist. Maybe it was because she was Alaya's descendent, but Laura saw a lot of herself in the young girl, and felt her trustworthy. _Of course, I could've also gone loopy with all these memories running rampant in my head, but who knows? Besides, right now I'll confide in whoever I can—not a lot of options at the moment._ Being confined under house arrest had its disadvantages.

"**What else do you want to ask me**?" It was plain to her that Arisaya wanted to ask something else—the girl was easy to read. _I guess she was never taught to hide her emotions, but then again she probably never had reason to._

"**I…would not wish to impose**," the girl replied, which sent Laura into a fit of giggles.

"**You remind me of my niece and nephew**," Laura replied between giggles. "**Whenever they want something really badly, they get shy. No**," she continued, attempting to regain some seriousness, "**you're not imposing. I don't mind people asking me questions, as long as I'm not being manipulated. Ask away, kiddo, ask away**." Arisaya seemed puzzled by the nickname "kiddo", but she didn't pause with her question.

"**I…I remember you besting Arnyris in the docks. Was that another of the old memories**?"

"**Partly. I did remember the ancient techniques, but it would have done me no good without practice. On Earth, I studied martial arts techniques as part of my training, that's why I was able to pick up on my memories. Without it, I would've probably fallen on my butt on the first try**." She smiled kindly, or at least she hoped it was kindly. "**You want to learn, is that it**?"

"**Only to defend myself, no more than that**." Arisaya seemed curious. "**How much do you know**?"

"**Too much**." Laura shook her head sadly, all mirth gone from her expression. "**Alaya knew how to fight, but it wasn't her calling: she spent most of her time creating and researching. Me, I was created and trained to be a weapon—to kill. And while I'd rather not kill someone, it doesn't change the fact that I could**." She took a deep breath, trying to chase away the regret; her entire life was hell, she hated what she'd become.

"**At any rate, I can teach you enough to defend yourself, if need be. Since I'm under house arrest, though, it'll have to wait until we get back to Earth. Sound good**?" She cocked an eyebrow, bringing a spark of laughter from the other girl.

"**Truly you are no danger**," Arisaya choked out between laughs. "**Arnyris is a fool**."

"**He's wise enough in his own right, child. As a soldier, he does his duty well. Give the boy some credit, he's responsible**." The two women looked at each other, and burst out laughing again.

--

John, Fred, and Arnyris were going through that very corridor when they heard the mingled laughter coming from Laura's quarters. Arnyris looked puzzled.

"I know one voice is Arisaya's, but who is the other?" John and Fred shared a look before breaking out in uncharacteristic chuckles.

"It's been a long time since I heard that laugh," Fred finally managed. "I daresay you've heard it more often though, John."

"Yeah, she laughs more often now than she used to. Though sometimes it's not as real as this—she laughs to hide sometimes."

"Hide from what? What need would she have to hide?" Arnyris asked—he was still having difficulty with standard, but was improving fairly quickly.

"More than you'd guess, kid," John said, looking at Laura's door, listening as the laughter subsided. "More than you'd guess."

The door opened and Arisaya departed, a smile clinging to her lips. Seeing Arnyris, however, caused her smile to falter.

"Arnyris, why are you here?" she asked softly, using standard out of courtesy, since John didn't know her language.

"We were passing through the corridor," Arnyris answered. "The stranger, she has not harmed you?"

"She will not harm any of us, Arnyris. Her heart is true, though her mind is troubled. I will help her long before I fear her." The young scientist bent her gaze on Arnyris and the other Spartans. "How long before we return to Earth, as you call it?"

"Another day, Arisaya," Fred replied. "You'll be able to see our home soon enough."

"Be that as it may, we Forerunners will wish to reclaim our ancient empire," Arnyris interrupted.

"Good luck with that, kid," Laura's voice echoed just before she appeared in the doorway of her quarters. "There's still a war going on, and I daresay the Flood are still running rampant in some areas. Plus the galaxy isn't what your histories describe anymore—a lot changes in 100,000 years, more than you'd think, and not all from natural causes." A troubled look passed over her face for a moment, but was just as quickly tucked away.

"Methinks your biggest concern would be seeing how much things have changed since the Forerunners left. Then you'd look at reclaiming your old homes, but remember that some might not want to give them up."

"You speak of what you do not understand, stranger," Arnyris began, but was cut off.

"**I understand better than you know, child**," she responded sharply, switching to the Forerunner tongue. "**I have knowledge that is not my own, knowledge of what was, as well as my own eyes. I have seen what has happened to much of your ancient empire—it is not what it once was. A war still rages between races, and worlds have been destroyed that would not be conquered. Stars have ended, and so have their worlds. The ringworlds are lost, destroyed, or overrun. Nothing is as your records remember it. The only choices you have are to adapt or fight, and I doubt that your people came this far to start another war." Dark eyes bored into the younger man's. "You should start listening to more than your own feelings and ideas, young one. I do not doubt your heart, but your actions are foolhardy, the actions of one who seeks to prove himself too much. It will not do to be…overzealous.**"

"**And what would you know of zeal, or of proving yourself to anyone?**" The young warrior foolishly sneered. It was the wrong thing to say—one minute he was standing between Fred and John, the next he was on the deck staring up at a scowling female face. _If looks could kill,_ John thought.

"**Do not speak of what you do not understand. You may think me harsh, but you know little of my people—we are not as like you as you would think, and even then you underestimate us. There are some on my world who would try to kill you for saying the wrong thing. Beware your words and actions—not all are as kindly as I am.**" With that, Laura did an about-face and stalked back into her cabin. Fred shook his head and sighed, helping the young warrior to his feet.

"She's got a point, kid. Some people back on Earth might ignore your insults, but others could kill you for them. Better be careful."


	9. Chapter 8: Cairo and Blades

Hey all! Sorry about this short (and slightly pointless) chapter--been busy lately. Just figured I'd try to get a brief happy shot in somewhere, so this'll be it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo.

Chapter Eight: _Cairo _and Blades

**Sol System**

_**Cairo **__**Orbital Defense Platform**_

**April 7, 2558**

Laura felt the ship drop out of Slipspace, and looked out the window of her cabin to confirm the fact. The stars were definitely familiar: there was the Big Dipper, the Dragon, Orion, Cephas the King. _We're home_, she thought as she exited her cabin. While she technically hadn't been permitted to wander around yet, she felt she should be on the bridge just in case.

Navigating the corridors was fairly easy, and she was surprised when no one stopped her or asked her where she was going. Having made it to the bridge unopposed, she stepped in the room quietly, ready to step in when needed.

--

"We've reached Earth, and we're being hailed," Fred called. John took that as his cue, moving forward so that he was in front of the viewscreen. A channel was opened and Admiral Hood's face appeared.

"Master Chief, I take it your mission went well?" he asked, the trace of a smile on his face.

"Mission accomplished, sir. No casualties, and we've found a bit more than we expected to."

"I can see that. May I ask who your friends are?" Before John could reply, a familiar voice rang out behind him.

"We've made contact with the missing Spartans and the remnants of the original Forerunner Empire, sir." Laura moved up and stood beside him, saluting as she came up. "Dr. Halsey is also present and accounted for."

"Excellent," Hood nodded. "You're cleared to dock with the _Cairo_, for debriefing." A small smile played across the admiral's face. "I think there's also someone on board who wants a word with you, Spartan."

--

Laura stepped into the docking bay, looking carefully at her surroundings—it wouldn't do to get caught in an ambush. _Old habits die hard_, she thought.

"Nervous?" John asked her from behind, and she turned to look at the Spartans and Forerunners behind her.

"No more than usual, Chief. Wouldn't do to get caught with your pants down, ya know?" she smiled, but John could tell it wasn't quite genuine.

"Still paranoid as always, eh?" a loud, slightly sarcastic voice called, interrupting everyone's musings. A real smile spread across her face as she turned again, facing the approaching figure in a UNSC naval uniform.

"I think it might be justified, Toothpick," she shot back, moving forward and grabbing his hand in a firm grip. _Toothpick, indeed,_ Mendez thought. _How did anything like that make it into the military? He looks half-starved._

"Be nice, Laura, since I am your superior officer," the skinny figure replied. True enough, he did have a captain's rank insignia on his uniform.

"Since when have I paid attention to rank, hmmm? Besides, even though you're a Captain, you're still my little brother." 'Little' was an overstatement, since the man stood over six feet tall—but then again, Laura herself was near seven feet. "When did you get here? Last I heard, you and the _Apache_ were patrolling near Sigma Octanus, or what's left of it."

"I'm not at liberty to say, though I daresay you'll be hearing about it soon enough." A worried look crossed his face, but he replaced it with a smile. "At any rate, it's good to see you again."

"Things are that bad?" Laura asked softly. A look at the other man's face was all the proof she needed.

"You know I'm not supposed to tell you Laura. Now why not introduce me to your friends, or have you been gone so long you've forgotten your manners?"

"When did I ever have manners?" she replied before turning back to the confused group behind her. "My younger brother, Captain Matt Morisson."

"I've heard of your strategic brilliance, Captain," Dr. Halsey stepped forward, taking Matt's extended hand.

"I'm not the only one, but thank you. Dr. Halsey, I've heard a lot about your work, and I must say I'm honored. Not everyday one gets to meet the brains behind my sister." He grinned as Laura started trying to protest, and whispered, "It's fun annoying her sometimes."

"I heard that!" Laura finally managed to spit out, shooting a glare that could easily have killed.

"No kidding you heard that." Matt grinned and started motioning to the elevators. "They're expecting you on the command deck for debriefing. I daresay you'll find me later?"

"Count on it, Stick," she smiled and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "We've got some catching up to do later."

--

Debriefing after a mission was about as much fun as pulling off an adhesive bandage, in Laura's mind at least. _Painful, but necessary,_ she thought, heading for one of the unused docking bays. Whenever she was on the _Cairo_ she checked up on which bays weren't being used and grabbed one for her workouts. _The more space and isolation I have, the better_. Even she would readily admit that her more…vigorous workouts had a tendency to get out of hand.

Once she had found an empty bay to her liking, she started with some stretches and slow moves: her contention was that it took more skill to perform accurate martial arts slowly than quickly, plus it made for a good warm-up. Slow kicks, punctuated by leisurely spins and arm thrusts, then a series of postures to finish it up. Gradually she moved faster until she'd reached full combat speed; she became the figurative whirlwind of death. Laura lost track of time, so absorbed in the speed and grace of martial arts, to the point that she almost didn't register the sound of applause.

"Not bad, I'd have thought having kids would've taken off your edge." Matt Morisson entered the bay, a smile on his face.

"Those two are worse than yours, Matt," she smiled. "I need my edge to keep up with them running around." Noticing the wrapped box under his arm, she sent him a pointed look. "What's that, explosives?"

"Not quite, but close," he grinned. Handing the box to her, he smiled even more. "Happy Belated Birthday."

"What's in here, rocks?" she grunted, hefting the package; for something as thin as it looked, it had some surprising heft to it. Deciding not to wait for an answer, Laura untied the strings and ripped off the paper to reveal a shiny, lacquered wooden box. Finding and opening the clasp, her eyes widened.

"Where did you find these?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"They're custom made; I was able to find a traditional swordsmith in Kyoto. We all kinda pitched in, but it seems it was worth every penny."

Reverently Laura lifted the twin blades, each one about 2 feet long and sheathed in black lacquered wood. Setting one down carefully, she drew one from its scabbard and gazed, awestruck, at the characters engraved on the blue-steel blade. Surprisingly, the heft was lighter than expected, and the blade was perfectly balanced to her hand.

"Go ahead, try them out," Matt urged. "You know you want to."

_Damn right I want to,_ Laura thought, reaching for the other blade. The sheaths were designed to cross behind the back, in the traditional _samurai_ manner; strapping both to her back, she closed her eyes and waited, searching her memory for the right pattern, the right rhythms. It wasn't long before she spun into motion, her body moving into a complex pattern of kicks, spins, and slashing motions. She blocked with one arm and slashed at the same time, flipped, and cut the air, her movements fluid and catlike. When she finally came to a close, her whole face had lit up—it happened sometimes when she really got into a work-out. It also helped that she had a new set of blades to work with, especially since these were rare _chisa katana_ blades her family had gifted to her. _Why they insist on spoiling me like this, I'll never know._

"You spoil me," she smiled, the faint glimmer of tears shining in her dark eyes.

"It's about time someone did," Matt replied, his voice hardening at the obvious reminder that ONI still tried to short her when they could. "Besides, you deserve it."

"Goofball." Sheathing the elegant weapons, she packed them away and handed them back to her younger brother. "You better hold on to these until I get back home—ONI doesn't like to allow me near anything longer than an MA5B, and even then they get edgy."

"Will do—see you back home."


	10. Chapter 9: WillotheWisp

Sorry about the last chapter--depressingly short. This one's a bit longer than the other one, and brings back an old 'friend'. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter 9: Will-o-the-Wisp

**UNSC High Command**

**Sydney, Australia**

**April 8, 2558**

Earth. That one word could hold so much or so little meaning, depending on who you were. To the Covenant, it had meant nothing—at least until they discovered the ancient Forerunner device that had lain hidden beneath the African soil. To the long-exiled Forerunner society, it was little more than a landmark in a history long past: a novelty, but little else. But to the humans who lived there and fought for it, Earth was home, a place of sanctuary and beginnings, almost the most valuable thing in the universe. _When did I start getting this philosophical?_ Laura thought in surprise. _I must be getting soft._

"We're here," she heard John say behind her; she heard the slight unease in his voice. "ONI's requesting an immediate debriefing."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" she sighed before grabbing her duffel bag; slinging her gear over one shoulder, she cocked her head at the Chief.

"You do realize I can't leave the room if you're blocking the whole doorway, right?" John still didn't move. He looked almost…well…_nervous_.

"Laura, I don't like this. ONI already debriefed us on the _Cairo_, why are they doing it again? Something's not right."

"You aren't telling me anything new," she answered. "_Nothing_ ONI does ever sits right, but there's not a whole lot we can do about it…yet." She winked, in her own way providing assurance that all was under control. When he tried to say more, Laura merely shook her head once—her signal that she wasn't going to continue the conversation.

"Let's move out, Blade." Rolling her eyes, she followed him out to the ramp and outside into a brilliant Sydney afternoon; the sun was so bright after the confines of a ship's cabin that she had to shut her eyes briefly. Once she could open them, she followed the Spartans, Dr. Halsey, Mendez, Arisaya, and Arnyris—why those two were being taken along she had no clue, but knowing ONI it probably wasn't going to be a hearty welcome reception. Making sure her emergency gear was still in place (and very well-concealed), she continued to follow the group, dark eyes discreetly checking her surroundings as they were led deeper into the heart of UNSC High Command.

--

Dr. Halsey eyed the conference room they'd been brought to, wondering what exactly ONI had in store. While she mentally ran through all the possibilities, she noted that the Spartans seemed uneasy, most notably the SPARTAN-IIs. Fred, Linda, and John seemed unusually still and silent; even encased in the Mjolnir armor, she could see the set of their shoulders that signaled battle-readiness. Laura/Blade, the so-called 'test case' for the program, was pacing back and forth, the image remarkably similar to a caged animal.

"You're making me dizzy," Ash commented from one corner; the older woman shot him a dirty look and continued her pacing.

"Would you rather I went crazy instead? Because that's exactly what will happen if I sit still." She actually stopped, though, and raked a hand through the top of her hair. "Damn I hate waiting. Gotta be a psych job."

"Psych job?" Arisaya asked. The young scientist had seated herself at the table, and was looking to Dr. Halsey for an explanation.

"What Laura means is that ONI is attempting to unsettle us by making us wait. And by the looks of things, it appears to be having some effect." _Though mostly on just one of us, it seems_.

Laura resumed her pacing, the long braid swinging back and forth. As Dr. Halsey continued to study her, she wondered about this unusual Spartan. Everything about her was completely contradictory to her SPARTAN-IIs, but her augmentations and training could make her nothing else. Still, she seemed unusually hostile and unstable, especially now.

"You keep pacing like that and you'll wear out the floor," Laura's voice, in oddly playful tones, echoed around the room—but she hadn't said a word. The pacing Spartan stopped short, alarm and relief flooding her face at once.

"Lorienna, what are you doing here? If ONI catches you, you're dead!"

"Relax, I've been sneaking in and out of their systems for a while now—I learned how to cloak myself." The voice giggled, but now Dr. Halsey could recognize the synthetic voice of an AI unit. "Comes in handy sometimes."

"I'm sure. Remind me to check your programming when I get back home." Laura shook her head, but now a faint smile played across her face.

"That might take awhile, if ONI has anything to say about it," the AI replied, her cheerful tones becoming grim. _Now she sounds even more like Laura_, Dr. Halsey mused.

--

Laura had to grip the back of a chair to keep from exploding; the cold metal back kept her relatively grounded.

"What are you talking about, Lorienna? And you'd better be quick with the explanation."

"I hacked into ONI's files, and it's not good news. _He's_ back in action, and he's up to his old tricks again." A sick feeling grew in the pit of Laura's stomach; she had a feeling she knew what her AI friend was going to say.

"ONI's planning on keeping you here, Laura, permanently. And I think you have a good idea as to why. Once you're out of the way—"

"I think I get the picture." A familiar anger burned in her veins, but her voice remained cold as ice. "But why the others? Why have the Spartans and all these others buried here with me?"

"ONI wants to question them thoroughly, probably regarding the Covenant and the Forerunners. More than likely they're looking for more stuff for Section III. I doubt it'll be the routine briefing you were hoping for."

"Probably not." Laura frowned, trying in spite of her anger to remain focused. A crazy idea surfaced and she grabbed it with both hands. "You still have the program we came up with?"

Lorienna giggled. "Which variant do you have in mind?"

"Eagles—and don't get caught either." Laura sighed heavily. "Tell Mom and everyone else what's happening, and I'll be home when I can."

"Will do. I'll be in touch."

Laura stood still and shut her eyes, gathering some semblance of calm to her psyche—for what she was planning she'd need to be calm and focused, quick and sure as a steel blade. _They made a big mistake, thinking this place would hold me._

"Care to explain what that was all about?" Fred's voice made her open her eyes; judging by the way he flinched when she looked at him, her expression must've been one of deadly, deceptive calm.

"I think you'll hear my opinions on the Covenant war first, Fred. Now leave me be unless you want another ass-kicking." Laura smirked ruefully as she recalled that sparring match, and the months of suspicion that had followed.

"You'd be outnumbered, then," she heard Tom from one corner; ignoring him, Laura ran one hand along the concealed hilt of her knife, reassuring herself it was still there. _I might need to fight my way out, though I'd rather not._

She registered when the door opened, heard the ONI officer's voice, and focused on the calm she'd gathered while waiting. This "debriefing" had become a mission, for her at least.

"So how many people did you have to bribe to get out of prison, Ackerson?" Opening her eyes, she noted the lack of guards and the doorway just beyond. _Almost too easy; then again, I think they're hoping to track me through my implants. Poor fools_.

"I didn't have to bribe anyone, Blade—especially once ONI realized they needed someone with experience to keep you contained." The snide remarks were enough to set Laura's nerves on edge; outwardly, though, her face retained its cool façade.

"As if anything could keep me contained, Ackerson. Once this debriefing's over, I'm headed back to Camp Hayes, where I belong." Narrowed brown eyes took in the smug look on Ackerson's face, confirming Lorienna's warnings.

"You're being reassigned to a new installation, Blade. A _permanent_ assignment, here, as a liason to our off-world guests. Any _extraneous_ items and materials at your old posting will be handled by ONI crews and specialists." Ackerson grinned, reminding her of a shark sensing prey. "Consider this your new home."

"The hell I will," she answered, in calm deadly tones that belied her real opinions on the subject. A few seconds later, she struck: lightning fast, with skill that no few people in the room had underestimated, she cold-cocked the Colonel and bolted from the room.

--

John watched as Laura made her daring, if somewhat futile, escape. _No one could get out of here and not get caught_. Glancing to his comrades, John signaled them to follow him.

"Where are we going?" Kelly asked, no doubt wishing she had a weapon on her person.

"We're really not going anywhere—knowing Laura, she's probably waiting for us nearby. She's got something planned, otherwise she'd have skinned Ackerson alive earlier." _What are you up to, _alaya?, John thought. Behind them he heard Mendez and Dr. Halsey approach, followed by the rest of their group.

"Where is she?" Mendez muttered. John swore he heard a soft chuckle to his left, but there was no one there, or at least no one _visible_. A moment later Laura's voice split the quiet.

"Execute command: WILLOTHEWISP." The distinctive shimmer of someone in active camouflage moved in front of them, and Laura spoke again.

"I don't have much time: the longer I stay the sooner I'm caught. But there's no way in hell they're keeping me here. Give it some time and maybe I'll be back where I belong."

"So you're heading to Camp Hayes?" Fred asked; a sharp laugh preceded the other woman's reply.

"Not likely—that's the first place they'll look, especially since we just 'borrowed' a Pelican and sent it there. I'm not sure where I'll end up, but for now I'm getting out of here. They can't see me: I found a way to scramble the signal on my neural net ages ago. Here one minute, gone the next—will-o-the-wisp." An unseen giggle echoed, then the voice grew serious.

"I'm out. Expect me when you see me, and watch out for ONI—they can't be trusted for a minute." John felt someone place one hand on his armored shoulder, then there was nothing, and he knew Laura had flown the coop. _Something planned, definitely. ONI'll have a hard time catching her now._


	11. Chapter 10: Back to Avalon

WOOT! Yes, everyone, I've finally got the next chapter up! Can't believe it's been over a month…sorry, guys, feel free to lob tomatoes or something at me. At any rate, we're here. Oh, and in case anyone's wondering, the chapter title is an old _Heart_ song, from which I also took a bit of the refrain (hey, it fit). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Ten: Back to Avalon

**April 22, 2558**

**UNSC High Command**

**Sydney, Australia**

It had been two weeks since the mysterious 'Blade' had escaped HighCom, and no one knew where she had ended up. No one fitting her description had been reported leaving the continent, and she was nowhere to be found locally. They had even sent the SPARTAN-IIs and SPARTAN-IIIs looking for her, but she had left no discernable trace. It was as if she'd completely vanished. Well, _almost_. From time to time the Spartans found a few carved stones, each with a mark only a few people could understand.

"Any trace of her?" Ackerson asked the latest search group, which consisted of Tom, Lucy, Kelly, and Fred.

"No sir, not a footprint. Though with the dense vegetation in some areas it would be hard to even notice a footprint; there're so many wild animals that tracks are hard to tell." Fred tilted his helmet to one side. "What about tracking her neural implants?"

"The implants are…malfunctioning. Probably the jungles are interfering with the electronics. In any case, she can only run for so long." Ackerson scowled, knowing that once again Blade had gained the advantage. "Dismissed, _Spartans_."

The group saluted, and kept quiet until they got back to the barracks assigned to the Spartans. John, Linda, and Ash were conversing quietly in one corner, while Olivia and Mark kept a watch. Looking up, John waved the small group over.

"Find anything?" he asked, making a subtle motion with his hand; Fred knew he'd disabled the recording devices ONI kept placing in the room.

"Not much, Laura still knows how to vanish; if anything she's gotten better at it over time. All I found was this." Fred held up a carved flat stone, engraved with two crossed blades; the stone itself was small enough to be concealed in the palm of someone's hand, and the only reason Fred had found it was because…_yeah, I think I'll keep that to myself_.

"Where'd you find that?" Tom asked, while Lucy cocked her helmet behind him. _Great, now I have to tell them._

"It…got thrown at my head," he muttered. John and Linda chuckled.

"That doesn't surprise me much," Linda smiled. "She never really warmed up to you that well."

Fred scowled and set down his equipment. Ash, meanwhile, studied the stone curiously.

"She keeps leaving things for us to find, but doesn't want ONI to catch her. This doesn't make much sense."

"Laura's leaving a trail." John frowned thoughtfully. "She's betting that someone's going to come looking for her, and she's trusting us to point the way. Why do you think she only left these when she knew we'd be looking?"

"How do you know so much about her, Chief?" Kelly asked. Thankfully, John was spared the necessity of replying when the door opened. Dr. Halsey stepped through, followed by two people John hadn't expected to see for a while.

"General West, Dr. Gedeon, what brings you here?"

--------

Lucy regarded the elderly doctor curiously, seeing something familiar in the older woman's face. _That's weird, a doctor and a general arriving together—and that doctor looks familiar. Is she one of ONI's doctors?_

"Good to see you again, Master Chief," the general said, extending his hand to grasp the Chief's gauntleted one—another thing that struck her as unusual. "We heard a few…rumors…about one of our soldiers and decided to come check for ourselves."

"She give you the slip again?" the strange doctor asked, smiling. When John nodded, she only shook her head. "They never learn, do they?"

"No ma'am, apparently not," Fred spoke up, moving forward. "She's nearby, but we don't even know where. Only leaves a few indicators every once in a while." He indicated the small collection of stones with their crude, but legible, signs: an eagle's talon, a wolf's paw print, a horseshoe, and the two crossed knives. _They know something_, Lucy thought.

"And there's no tracking her through her implants, either. We stopped and asked on the way in, ONI thinks the jungle's interfering…or so they say," General West smirked. "I'll bet my rank that there's a very specific virus running around in ONI's systems, am I right Chief?"

"Yes sir, though I have no clue how it got in, or how long it'll take before it's shut down." It seemed to the young Spartan that the Master Chief was playing a game with the strangers, and that the SPARTAN-IIs (with the exception of Kelly) were in on it.

"Dr. Gedeon, any thoughts?" The general directed the question at the other doctor, and Lucy suddenly realized that Dr. Halsey had said nothing, and was simply listening to the other two.

"Where were these found? Were they in different locations or the same spot?" _Perceptive_, she thought.

"Now that you mention it, they were all kind of in the same area, most of them," Fred was unwilling to say more, but from the look on Dr. Gedeon's face, his secret was already out.

"I'd like to examine the area for myself, if it's possible. Perhaps there's _something_ you've overlooked." _She knows, she knows where Blade is!_

Lucy approached the doctor and tapped her head, tilting it slightly as if asking a question, which in essence was what she was doing; since her first mission she had been unable to speak, though it wasn't for lack of trying.

"No, I don't know exactly, but I have a pretty good guess. And sometimes, a good guess is more than enough to strike gold." Dr. Gedeon placed one hand on Lucy's armored shoulder reassuringly, then scooped up the small stones. "General, I'll go see if there's more to find out there—I daresay I'm the only one who can."

"Probably a safe bet," West agreed, much to Lucy's surprise. "Meanwhile I'll go yell at Ackerson, see if I can shake him down a bit. How in hell the bastard managed to make it out of prison…" he trailed off, running one hand through graying and quickly-thinning hair. "Never mind what I think. See if you can find our runaway."

--------

John took point, with Dr. Gedeon following close behind. Behind them he heard the barely-there sounds of the other Spartans, moving quietly through the thick undergrowth. Amazingly, the only tracks they could see were from the earlier search parties and from various animals native to the area. _No wonder Laura can hide here, she has plenty of ways to cover her tracks._

Stopping suddenly, John held up one hand, signaling for the others to stop. They'd reached the area where most of the stones had been found, a clearing of sorts: it was barely more than a patch of green surrounded by trees and vines. A small pile of smoldering ashes indicated that someone had only just vacated the area.

"She was here, wasn't she?" Dr. Gedeon whispered.

"There's no way of knowing who could have been here, ma'am," he replied, though the odds were high that it had been Laura.

"One way to find out," the aged doctor replied. Drawing herself up, she threw her head back and bellowed:

"OLLY OLLY EN FREE!"

For a while nothing happened, unless you were to count all the Spartan heads that whipped around to face the elderly woman. Then there was a crashing noise through the underbrush, and about nine assault rifles snapped up just as something large and powerful crashed through the undergrowth…

"Mom!"

--------

**April 24, 2558**

**UNSC High Command**

**Sydney, Australia**

The group of Spartans headed out to the landing pad, preceded by General West and Dr. Halsey. He'd pretty much told ONI that he'd take them to Camp Hayes, and considering both his reputation and the strong ONI presence in that area, the UNSC Security Council had acquiesced. However, the Forerunners were forced to remain behind—West's influence was, regrettably, limited in that regard. Still, Arisaya and Arnyris were at least able to escort the small group as far as the landing pads. Dr. Halsey had insisted on accompanying the Spartans to Camp Hayes, professing interest in the "new" SPARTAN-II that had been missing for about two and a half weeks.

"Any idea where Blade got to?" Fred spoke up.

"No idea, son, but knowing her she'll be waiting for us at the landing pads," West chuckled. "Don't entirely know how she does it, but the girl doesn't miss a beat."

"What can you tell me about this 'Blade', General?" Dr. Halsey commented from the middle of the group. John watched as the officer's posture stiffened slightly: a common occurrence, he'd noticed, when people tried to get information about Laura from him.

"Quite a bit, Doctor, but I won't. You'd be better off asking her when you see her. Just don't be surprised if she rips you a new one; it's a bit of a touchy subject for her."

The landing pads came into view, and as they got closer John noticed a figure perched on top of a Pelican: black-clad, dark hair, and seemingly completely relaxed. As they got even closer he noticed the figure was decidedly female and appeared to be focused entirely on the piece of wood she was carving. The dark head lifted suddenly, and within moments the woman dropped from the Pelican's wing to the tarmac, straightened, and headed their way.

"General West, didn't expect to see you here. Come to bring me home?" Laura snapped a salute—which rated somewhere between crisp and casual—and stood at a more relaxed form of attention (he'd known her for six years and still didn't know how she managed to pull it off).

"At ease, Laura—though if you got any more relaxed you might fall over." The two looked at each other for a moment, and then began chuckling almost simultaneously.

"Believe me, sir, I'm anything but relaxed. Any idea when we'll be able to get a move on?"

West smiled. "Just waiting on you, Laura. If you have anything else to do I suggest you do it now."

"Got it." Laura looked past him to the two young Forerunners, who were viewing the exchange with some semblance of curiosity.

"**ONI's going to be keeping you here, young ones. If I were you I wouldn't trust them—they think only of defending our home, through any means they deem necessary.**"

"**You think they will try and force us to aid them?**" Arnyris asked—rather sharply, she noticed, but then again she didn't blame him. _He's probably still trying to wrap his brain around all this. Still, he needs to learn some restraint—one of these days he'll go off like a shot against the wrong person._

"**It is possible, though it's more likely they will try to use trickery against you. Be alert and ready for anything. I'll keep an eye out for you as best I can.**"

"**How? You will not be here,**" Arisaya noted. The young scientist had already commandeered a good portion of Laura's respect, and in her own way she had grown fond of the girl.

"**ONI isn't the only one with spies, Arisaya. Though mine isn't easily seen, she's always there.**" Laura smiled warmly. "**Be well, Arisaya, kind soul.**"

Turning around, Laura headed for the Pelican, which the others had already boarded. She looked back long enough to wave goodbye, then sat down and strapped into the only remaining seat. _Hurry, hurry, hurry! I want to get home NOW!!_

"A bit antsy, are we?" Fred commented, indicating a booted foot that Laura hadn't realized she was tapping.

"Wouldn't you be?" she replied, forcing herself to calm down; pulling out the flute she'd been carving, she continued to work on it in an effort to keep herself occupied.

"We'll be back before you know it, Laura," West's voice echoed from near the cockpit; he'd stationed himself there in case there was a problem. _Always likes to be prepared_, she smiled inwardly.

--------

_"We're coming up on Camp Hayes in a few minutes,"_ the pilot's voice echoed through the mike. After a moment's pause he added, _"Ready, Laura?"_

Laura smiled—this was an old tradition for her, one that almost every pilot on Camp Hayes knew. "Ready when you are."

Releasing the catch on her restraints, she stood up and walked to the edge of the hatch, ignoring the surprised looks from the other Spartans and Dr. Halsey, focused only on the hatch that was opening in front of her. Grabbing a handhold, she leaned forward, feeling the wind on her face and her hair whipping out behind her. _I'm home_, she thought, and after a few moments she heard herself singing quietly:

"_And the phoenix flies/ Straight and high, back to Avalon. And I'm on my way/ Back where I belong/ Gonna go there with the sun…_"

The ground was coming up quickly, and she could see a familiar blonde figure waiting on the landing pad. Not even waiting for the Pelican to hit the ground, Laura jumped, rolled, and bounded to her feet on the tarmac; she completely disregarded the chuckles and gasps behind her as she pulled Nicole Mitchell into a fierce hug. _It's good to be home._


	12. Chapter 11: The Terrible Twins

Well, Happy Belated Thanksgiving to all my readers—new chapter up! We finally get to meet a couple new additions to the story (hopefully some humorous ones), and revisit a couple of old pals. Oh yeah, and for everyone wondering, I'm going on the assumption that the Spartans are in normal uniform rather than armor (ref. FoR--you'll understand why I'm saying this later on). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Eleven: The Terrible Twins

_The ground was coming up quickly, and she could see a familiar blonde figure waiting on the landing pad. Not even waiting for the Pelican to hit the ground, Laura jumped, rolled, and bounded to her feet on the tarmac; she completely disregarded the chuckles and gasps behind her as she pulled Nicole Mitchell into a fierce hug. _It's good to be home.

**April 24, 2558**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

"I take it you're glad to be back," Nicole gasped, prompting her abrupt release and a chagrined look from Laura.

"Sorry about that, Nick. Guess I got excited—it's good to finally be back on my home turf." The two women smiled and turned back to the Pelican, which had now landed and deposited West, Dr. Halsey, and the other Spartans. Laura noticed with some amusement that some of the newcomers, most notably the SPARTAN-IIIs, were sporting some very confused looks.

"Nick, we're gonna have a few new faces on base for a little while. I'd like you to meet Dr. Catherine Halsey…" the elderly doctor nodded, "…Chief Petty Officer Mendez, Kelly, Tom, Lucy, Ash, Mark, and Olivia. Those are the ones I know, at any rate. And this," she dropped one arm on Nicole's shoulders, taking care not to accidentally hurt her, "is Nicole Mitchell, one of the few people I know I can count on to _not_ turn me in to ONI."

"True enough, though sometimes I have second thoughts," the blonde joked, earning a mock-pained look from her friend.

"Gee, thanks, Nick. I feel so loved right now." Still, everyone could see the smile on her face, a smile that actually reached her eyes and lit her whole face. "How's everything been?"

"I have a feeling everyone's going to be glad you're back. There's been a lot of chaos around here for the past few months."

"Oh really?" Laura's smile grew even bigger, and she shot a glance at West (and John, Dr. Halsey noticed). "Then lead on, O Mighty One."

--------

There was an obvious change in Laura's demeanor, Dr. Halsey noticed, which had begun partly on the Pelican and grew even more noticeable when she saw her friend. She appeared to become less of a paranoid and/or delusional soldier and more of a civilian, a semi-happy personality. What seemed to strike her as unusual was the apparently mercurial shift in her personality, something none of 'her' Spartans exhibited.

"Then lead on, O Mighty One," Laura's voice floated back, and the doctor watched as Laura bounded forward and fell into an easy, almost light-hearted gait; _almost_, because if one looked carefully there were clear signs of guardedness in the Spartan's walk, and subtle glances left and right were also easy to spot, if you knew what to look for.

Curious, Dr. Halsey followed the two women, and was aware of the other Spartans doing likewise. As they walked, she noticed isolated groups of two or three Covenant Elites working in conjunction with Marines, the Elites sometimes getting up to greet Laura before going back to their duties.

"Lo'a!" A high-pitched, bark-like voice preceded the approach of a group of Grunts, with one in front running as quickly as he could; Laura dropped to one knee and enveloped him in a hug.

"Nice to see you too, Yipin," she laughed; the other Grunts crowded around, chattering and barking excitedly as she touched the tops of heads and patted methane tanks.

"Can you even understand them?" Dr. Halsey heard Nicole ask.

"Partly," Laura replied as she stood; the Grunts milled around her, looking remarkably like puppies around a kindly owner. "When they get excited, they go back to their own language, so it's harder to get what they're saying, but somehow I can understand bits and pieces of it. It…it's like trying to look at a 3-D image hidden in another picture—you have to try really hard, but you can make it out."

Behind her, Dr. Halsey heard Fred mutter, "Odd. She never had any official language training, and rarely uses a translator. How could she understand anything they're saying?"

"_Holy Retribution_, Fred," John reminded him. "Every time she put that damn circlet on she learned a little bit more, and lost a little bit more herself."

"What do you mean?" Dr. Halsey asked; hearing John's statement about a circlet and Laura's 'losing herself' piqued her interest.

"She was starting to lose control of whatever she was seeing in her head—she started seeing it all over the place, started slipping away mentally. It was like she was becoming someone else, and fighting to maintain her own identity."

"John, I never thought you'd be one to tattle on me," Laura's voice interrupted; the happy look had dimmed a bit, to be replaced by a thoughtful, slightly betrayed look.

"I didn't intend to, just wanted to answer a question." The betrayed look lifted somewhat, but the thoughtfulness remained in place.

"Just don't let it happen again, please. I'd much rather explain it myself than have people going behind my back. Too much like ONI for my liking."

An awkward silence followed, which lasted several seconds and was broken by a woman's voice yelling; "KELLY! Come back here RIGHT NOW!"

--------

Laura tried hard to hold back a grin as Kelly started and looked around.

"I don't think she's yelling at you, Kelly," she smiled, motioning in the direction of the shout. A middle-aged, brown-haired woman was attempting to capture a young girl; moving forward, Laura smartly caught the child and turned her upside-down in her arms, effectively trapping the youngster.

"Laura! You're back, thank goodness. I can't believe it."

"Easy, Angel, just catch your breath. I take it this one's been causing trouble again?" The woman nodded.

"Her and her brother both. I always thought mine were a handful, how do you deal with them?"

"I make their dad do it." The two women shared a look, and burst out laughing; Laura at least kept her laughter in check long enough to set the little girl right-side up on the ground before she lost her grip from laughter.

--------

Fred tried hard to suppress a few smiles as he watched the two women laughing fit to burst. He didn't quite get the joke, but it didn't matter—he had a few suspicions as to what was going on. Glancing down, he saw the little girl standing a few feet away from him. She looked to be about four years old, and had a very familiar mane of brown hair. _Laura in miniature_, Fred thought.

"Aren't you a little young to be here?" he asked as he bent down.

"Mommy lives here with us, when she's not away," the girl answered, her pixie-like voice different from what he was used to hearing. Fred was wondering about that when he heard a familiar call.

"Kelly!" Laura walked forward and scooped the child up. "What're you up to this time? And where's…" she looked down and scowled, but Fred noticed she was trying to keep from grinning. _Don't move,_ she mouthed at him behind the child's back. Setting the little girl back down, she bellowed, "Samuel Frederick Spartan! Front and center right NOW!"

A nearby rustling from the left preceded a curly brown head as a four-year-old boy emerged from some bushes—how no one had spotted the youngster in the first place, Fred didn't know. He looked familiar, but what surprised Fred more was the name, which immediately reminded him of Sam…

"The two of you have to the count of 5 to 'fess up," Laura's voice jolted him back to the two children, both of whom looked decidedly guilty of something. It didn't help that Laura had the infamous "death glare" stuck on her face, except for the amusement twinkling in her dark eyes. Behind him he heard Kelly shifting, and guessed that his fellow Spartans were equally puzzled.

"What's going on?" he asked as he took a step forward…and promptly did a face-plant in the dirt. While he was struggling to sit up, he heard laughter behind him, giggles from in front of him, and a resigned sigh.

"Tried to warn you," Laura said as she turned back to the two kids. Fixing her glare back into place, she began to give them both a talking to.

"I've told you before not to prank other people, and tying shoelaces together definitely counts as a prank." Ignoring the downcast faces, she continued, "Both of you had better be in your rooms by the time I'm done counting to 10. 1…" She hadn't even finished speaking before the two kids took off.

"I think they're out of earshot by now," John spoke up from behind Linda, at which point Laura finally let go with the laughter she'd restrained. In between giggles, she somehow managed to help Fred to a sitting position.

"You may end up having to cut the laces," she gasped, trying to get herself under control as she drew a small knife from a concealed sheath inside her boot.

Fred took the proffered knife, slit through the knots, and shook his head. "What's with those kids? They yours?"

"They're not angels, but they're mine." Laura smiled. "And, unfortunately, the like pranking people. Kelly's usually the brains to Sam's brawn, but occasionally they change around. Gotta keep on your toes around them."

"Trying to babysit those two is worse than dealing with my own kids," the other woman broke in—Fred recognized her as Angela Morisson, Laura's sister-in-law. "I still want to know how she manages it."

"I have to keep some of my secrets, Angela," Laura smiled. "How much trouble have they been causing?"

"No worse than some of the stuff you pulled, if your mom's stories are true. But the rest of us are close to insanity just trying to keep them out of trouble!"

"Yep, sounds like me." Laura's smile grew even wider. "I should probably get to dealing with the Terrible Twins before they find some way to cause even more trouble."

"And how do you keep them out of trouble when they're in your bunkhouse _unsupervised_?" Chief Mendez finally asked; Fred could hear the shock in his voice and, judging by the ever-widening grin on Laura's face, she saw it.

"Once I realized just how much trouble they could get into, I modified a few things in my bunk, and gave a _friend_ full access to everything in there. She'll find ways to keep them contained, at least."

Just as Laura turned to leave, Dr. Halsey asked, "Who's their father?"

There was a lot that went into a SPARTAN-IIs training regimen, and one of the most important was reading a person's body language; it could give a really good clue as to what your enemy might be thinking or planning. Some signs were obvious, others more subtle; in this case, Fred didn't even need to look. Laura stopped dead in her tracks, her shoulders stiffened, and tension spread through every muscle in her body; he could've sworn he heard her teeth grinding together. When she finally spoke, her voice was thick with tension…and barely disguised fear.

"Best you don't know. The less you know, the safer you'll be—ONI will stoop to just about anything. Don't ask me again."


	13. Chapter 12: Speculation

My apologies for the long delay and short chapter--writer's block has struck again. Add in classes and Christmas and all that other stuff, and I'm waaaaaayyyyy behind. Oh well, hopefully things will pick up in future. Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Twelve: Speculation

_Just as Laura turned to leave, Dr. Halsey asked, "Who's their father?"_

_There was a lot that went into a SPARTAN-IIs training regimen, and one of the most important was reading a person's body language; it could give a really good clue as to what your enemy might be thinking or planning. Some signs were obvious, others more subtle; in this case, Fred didn't even need to look. Laura stopped dead in her tracks, her shoulders stiffened, and tension spread through every muscle in her body; he could've sworn he heard her teeth grinding together. When she finally spoke, her voice was thick with tension…and barely disguised fear._

_"Best you don't know. The less you know, the safer you'll be—ONI will stoop to just about anything. Don't ask me again."_

**April 24, 2558, two hours later**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

The Spartans were about as moved in as possible into their new quarters; General West had reserved a bunkhouse specifically for them, and had set up two partitioned areas for Dr. Halsey and Chief Mendez to use if they wanted. Now they were all grouped together, SPARTAN-IIs, -IIIs, and the two instructors, and contemplating their new situation.

"If you ask me, that Blade woman needs some discipline," Mendez was saying. "No self-respecting soldier would pull off half the things she's done."

"No, but then again, no single soldier has been stuck fighting ONI for as long as she has on her own," Fred countered; since he was now a Lieutenant, he could get away with saying that to his old CO. "She's spent a lot of time trying to stay one step ahead of them, and so far has done pretty well in that regard."

"I take it you know this…Blade?" Dr. Halsey cut in.

"Partly. ONI sent us here shortly after we made it back from taking out that Covenant battlegroup. They wanted us to work with her to capture a Covenant vessel and bring it back intact for analysis. It took a while for her to trust any of us."

"The feeling was mutual, Fred, or don't you remember?" Linda cut in, a rare smile splitting her face. "Either you didn't trust her, or you hated her guts—probably the latter. She beat him in martial arts," there were chuckles from around the room, "got him in a position where he couldn't fight back, and he hated her for the longest time ever since."

"You would too, if she'd threatened your life," Fred muttered darkly, the edges of his ears tinged a very faint pink.

"Again, can you blame her? She thought we were trying to kill her, on ONI's orders, no less. Considering what was going on at the time, she had every reason to make a preemptive strike." Linda shook her head. "She was the first of us, Dr. Halsey, though ONI will never admit she exists."

"The first?" Dr. Halsey began, then stopped, remembering the early stages of the SPARTAN-II project: reports from Earth confirming and advising her theories, and the report generated on the "simulations" for the augmentations. Recalling an ONI reference to a test case with 'a number of psychological flaws' during a visit to Reach helped the last piece fall into place: the mysterious Blade was the test case ONI had used. _No wonder she's bitter._

"It gets better," Fred picked up where Linda had stopped. "ONI apparently decided to eliminate her once the real SPARTAN-IIs started racking up successes, deciding she was 'no longer necessary' to the project. They've been trying to kill her for years."

"Laura's not gonna like it if she finds out you've been talking about her, you know," a familiar, teasing voice echoed. The group looked up to see an AI swirl into being over a holographic pad: long, flowing, brown hair, a blue and silver dress, and a silver circlet with one blue stone. Laura's voice echoed out as the AI spoke.

"Yeah, she'd be furious if she knew you were discussing her behind her back." The AI giggled, mirth glinting in dark eyes.

"Lorienna, I presume," Dr. Halsey stated, prompting another giggle from the AI.

"You presume correctly, Dr. Halsey. I recognize you from your files. And the SPARTAN-IIs, IIIs, and Chief Petty Officer Mendez." She winked at the various shocked faces. "Laura and I try to keep on top of things. Speaking of which, I'm being called—I'll harass you later." With a final wink, the AI vanished.

"Strange AI," Mark voiced from the corner, his fellow S-IIIs nodding in agreement.

"No stranger than her creator—which I'm sure you know who that is," John's voice broke in from the doorway; the massive Spartan moved through and plopped down onto an empty bunk. "Ugh, I'd forgotten how horrible these bunks actually were—years of sleeping in the dirt make you forget a lot."

Fred chuckled. "Yeah, like rocks. Hard to believe people actually sleep on these."

Laughter rang outside the bunkhouse, prompting them to glance out the windows—once they saw the two youngsters outside, they shook their heads.

"I thought Laura was disciplining those two," Mendez commented.

"She tries, but I think they're too much like their mother for their own good," John replied. "From the way her mom and brother talk, she was the same way at that age, and then some."

"I have to wonder, John—since you know so much about Laura, do you know who fathered her kids?" Dr. Halsey's question was a bit surprising, but expected.

"Yes, but she's asked me not to talk about it."

**Meanwhile…**

"What are two youngsters like you doing out alone, eh?"

"Mommy said we could play here if we stayed where she could see us," Kelly answered, her four-year-old voice sounding insulted that someone would question her.

"But what if I told you your mommy wasn't there anymore, that someone took her away?" The man was doing a good job of fooling the youngsters.

"Where's Mommy? Can you help us find her?" Sam was adamant.

"Of course. I'll take you to your mommy," he answered reassuringly. _And then we'll see how motivated she is to listen to orders now, once she sees your with me_, he thought. Finally, Ackerson was convinced he had the upper hand.


	14. Chapter 13: Hostages and Revelations

Hey all! Finally got updated--and a nice lengthy chapter to make up for the previous short one too. And yes, I'm aware that some of the characters are probably OOC--but this isn't exactly a normal SPARTAN scenario (plus I'm doing this at 0200 hours--yes, that's military time). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Thirteen: Hostages and Revelations

**April 25, 2558 0730 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

She'd been out all night, searching every part of the base, and still there was no sign of them. _Where could they be? How could I lose track of them like that? What kind of mother am I? I hope their okay._ She was so busy searching and mentally berating herself that she didn't see the arm that dragged her into the shadows. _What? NO!!_ A hand clamped over her mouth and a hushed voice got her attention.

"_Alaya_, it's me." Laura stopped moving and nodded, feeling her unseen captor let go. John regarded her with some concern.

"John, what are you doing out here?"

"Lorienna got in touch with us—she said you hadn't been in the bunkhouse all night, and that the kids were gone. We've been trying to help locate them."

"We?" Laura shook her dark head, little wisps of escaped hair drifting around her face. "Don't tell me you dragged everyone else into this too."

"There was no 'dragging' on this one, Laura—we volunteered," Fred's voice popped up to her left; a moment later he and Linda materialized at her side, Kelly just behind them. If she looked past them, Laura swore she saw camouflaged shadows moving around.

"You really think we're going to let a fellow Spartan's kids go missing and not do something about it? You're one of us, remember?" Linda placed one hand on her shoulder. "We're with you on this one."

One of the camouflaged shadows ran up, and materialized into gray armor—Laura recognized the suit as an experimental model ONI had been working on. _Funny, I thought they'd given up. Guess not._

"We've pretty much checked all over the base. No sign of them," Ash reported.

"That's what worries me most—they're usually easy to find," Laura sighed heavily, one hand raking it's way through her hair; it was unusual for John to see her this visibly upset. "I dunno, maybe they're just running around loose and planning a few more pranks. But they've always been home in time for bed before."

"Panicking over it isn't going to do anyone any good," Kelly pointed out. "Neither is going without rest—you're coming with me."

Surprisingly, Laura gave in—maybe she knew the Spartans weren't going to let up, maybe she was just too tired and worried to care. She followed the other woman quietly, not realizing that she wasn't heading for her own bunkhouse, but rather the barracks set aside for the Spartans.

"Why here?" she finally asked when they were inside.

"We know for a fact this place isn't bugged—pulled 'em all out last night." Kelly pushed her down on one of the empty beds. "I figure we'd be able to figure out a solution undisturbed. But first you need at least a few hours' sleep."

"And just how do you expect me to sleep when my children are out there somewhere, alone and possibly in danger?" Laura asked, her voice rising as she fingered one of her combat knives; Kelly noted the battered sheaths and made a note to examine them later. "I should've stayed with them, why in hell did I stay indoors while they were outside?"

"Partly because you thought they were still in their rooms, and I was too distracted by ONI's files to check?" Lorienna's voice, too eerily similar to her creator's for Kelly's liking, cut through the room; for once the AI was as grim as Laura. "And no, I haven't heard anything on them in ONI's channels—if something's going on here ONI's not involved."

"Not directly at least," Laura muttered, rubbing her eyes. She was tired, even if she didn't want to admit it, and knew it was catching up to her now that she'd stopped moving. "ONI doesn't need to necessarily _be_ involved to be involved."

Kelly must have looked confused, but thankfully Lorienna understood. "No word on whether or not _he's_ involved, but I wouldn't honestly be surprised. That bastard has it in for you."

"And this surprises you?" Fred spoke up, the first comment he'd made throughout. John nodded, a grim look in place on usually calm features.

"He's still pissed that I haven't died yet, or that I refuse to be a good little toy soldier, or something," Laura spoke quietly. She was fading fast, but still refused to just sleep. _I can't just stop_.

"You need to rest, Laura," John interrupted, walking over and placing on hand on her shoulder, oddly near her neck, Kelly noticed.

"I can't…rest…now…" Laura barely registered the hiss of the hypodermic spray or the minor stabbing pain in her neck. She felt herself falling…falling…

John caught her and lowered her to the bed, shaking his head as he pocketed the hypodermic. "She's gonna kill me when she wakes up."

"Maybe, or more likely she'll try to blow off some steam," Lorienna giggled. "Where did you get the tranquilizer, though?"

"Dr. Gedeon. Once you mentioned she'd been out all night, I figured we'd need something more substantial to get her to sleep, and the good doctor agreed with me. It should wear off in about…" he checked his watch. "…two hours."

"Two hours isn't going to be enough rest though," Fred mused.

"All you needed was something to knock her on her ass in the first place," Lorienna pointed out. "Once she's out cold, she'll sleep like a rock—she needs it."

"You really think Ackerson has anything to do with this?" Linda asked; Kelly was caught a bit off guard by that, as were the S-IIIs. In their minds Ackerson was a decent guy. Then Kelly thought back to HighCom in Sydney, and had to admit they had a point.

"Wouldn't surprise me," John muttered. "He's either trying for leverage, or just wants the kids."

"Why?" The question came from Tom in the corner.

"They're Spartan-born," Lorienna interjected, casting a glance over to the sleeping woman. "The genetic augmentations were passed on to them: they are faster, smarter, and stronger than most four-year-olds, and given time could become the ultimate weapon, much like the Spartans themselves. ONI's been interested in them for quite awhile, but it was made quite clear to them that the kids were off-limits."

"In any case, if Ackerson is involved, he won't get to keep them. Laura will personally see to that." John seemed very sure on the point.

--------

**April 25, 2558 1355 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

"Uhhh…" Laura sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she looked around. _Note to self, never sleep in your clothes. Wait…this isn't my bunk!_ She was in a regular barracks, and there were no obvious signs of anyone around. A headache felt like it was in the process of splitting the sides of her head open, and she pressed her fingers to her temples to dull the pain.

"Here, these'll help," a voice murmured; Laura looked down to see a pair of pain relievers being pressed into her hand. _Low dose aspirin, nice_, she thought before downing the two pills.

"Aspirin, the original miracle drug," she smiled wryly. Pushing herself off of the bed, she glanced around to see Dr. Halsey, CPO Mendez, and a set of clothes nearby.

"John brought these by earlier, saying you'd appreciate the change of clothes." Mendez looked questioningly at her. "How did he know what to bring?"

"Easy—nine times out of ten I'm in one of my modified blacksuits, only constant variable is my underwear. Though I have a feeling someone else suggested the workout suit…" Laura fingered the dark blue material thoughtfully. _Or maybe he knows me better than I'd like to admit—they don't need to know that though_.

"How did he know where to find them though? I'd say that's an interesting coincidence," Dr. Halsey pointed out. She had to admit the shrewd look in those blue eyes was disconcerting.

"Interesting indeed," Laura nodded as she picked up the underwear and workout garments. _And that's all you're getting out of me._ Disappearing briefly, she reemerged clad in dark blue leggings and a blue tank top—a skin-tight material that still allowed for free motion. Noticing the good doctor's eyes rake her left shoulder, Laura had to suppress a smirk—the ugly, jagged scar was still one hell of an eyecatcher, even after all this time. _Let her guess, I'm not going into details_, she thought as she pulled on the blacksuit, her boots, and strapped her knives to her sides. Though it wouldn't be too hard for her to find out the story behind that particular scar, since her mission records were easily accessible to the right people.

"Where are you headed?" Lorienna popped in; Laura glanced around briefly before her eyes settled on the holographic projector. Shaking her head, Laura touched the handle of one knife thoughtfully.

"Any word on Sam and Kelly?" Noting the slow shake of the AI's head, she felt her face fall into a scowl. "Then I'd say it's a safe bet I'll not find them quite yet; someone's playing a game with me, I'm convinced."

"Or paranoid, one of the two," Lorienna pointed out.

"I tend to play it safe, what's your point?" Raking one hand through her hair—which she had re-braided as she dressed—she let out a long breath. "I need to think, and let off some steam. If something happens—"

"I'll know where to find you," the AI finished, the hint of a giggle creeping in to her voice.

"Good. Hold down the fort until I get back—to _my_ bunkhouse." With that parting comment, Laura walked out the door."

--------

Two hours and several grueling exercises later, Laura sat in a crouch learned from one of her Sangheili 'pupils', though now it seemed they were teaching her more than she was teaching them. According to them, this position allowed one to rest and still be able to jump into a fight, but she had her doubts; the only thing she was feeling was a burning pain in her thighs. _Either I still need to get used to this position, or the physiology differences are too high—probably the former._ Still, she had to admit that it _was_ easy to jump to her feet from this position. Allowing herself to at least try and rest, Laura closed her eyes and focused on centering herself, letting her mind wander freely; it was a mental exercise she had gleaned from her memories of Alaya, and she found it quite useful.

"I thought I might find you here," a familiar, oily voice broke into her thoughts; Laura snapped back to the present and leapt to her feet, knives drawn and ready.

"What the hell do you want, you sick bastard?" she hissed angrily. Ackerson stood there smiling, along with two squads of Helljumpers, fully armed and armored. "You really think they'll be able to take me?" _Hopefully the attitude will make them think twice._

"Oh no, Blade, they're just a precaution. I don't need them to subdue you, not anymore." Motioning to one of the Helljumpers, he moved aside. All the color drained from her face when she saw what Ackerson meant.

* * *

"She's at the gym, please hurry," Lorienna alerted the other Spartans. "Ackerson's already there, and he has the twins."

"Has anything happened yet?" John asked. Kelly and the S-IIIs noticed the concern in his voice.

"Not yet, still just a shouting match. Just get there, hurry." The Spartans lost no more time and headed straight to the training area, which thankfully was close to their barracks. Kelly remembered being grateful for the layout, so she could practice with ease—now she was even more grateful that it was so close.

They were pounding their way down the hall when Laura's voice cried out.

"Don't hurt them! Leave them alone!" She sounded scared, almost panicky.

"Technically, it's your own fault for not keeping an eye on them before, Blade. Be that as it may, I have no interest in hurting them, they're much more valuable to me alive. That can change though, quite easily." _Ackerson, _Kelly thought angrily. The group stopped and crept in through the open doorway, studying the scene before them: Ackerson and about thirty Helljumpers, two of which were holding pistols near the young twins, and Laura crouched in a training ring with her knives drawn and ready.

"They're not involved in this, let them go!" Laura shouted, her grip tightening on her knives. _I can't do anything, they might hurt Sam and Kelly. Damn it, there has to be some option!_ Before she could react, a voice cut through the room: Fred's voice, surprisingly enough.

"What the hell is going on here?" Distracted, the ODSTs lowered their guard just enough, and Laura moved; throwing her knives, she hit the two soldiers holding her children, and jumped headfirst into the fight. She hadn't aimed to kill, and her knives were lodged in their shoulders, so she had to act fast—yanking them free, she brought them down on two respective skulls, and came up swinging.

"_**RUN!!**_" she screamed at the top of her lungs, trying her best to buy time. Sam and Kelly froze, then felt themselves scooped up and carried off.

* * *

Oddly enough, the two children didn't even struggle when they were grabbed, but Kelly wasn't going to question it. Right now they needed to get to a safe spot—and where was John going?

"This way," John motioned as they took a side door out of the building; leading them to a section of chain-link fence, he pushed lightly on a portion of it, opening the hidden door he knew Laura had made previously. "She always likes to have an escape route handy, just in case."

"Where exactly are we heading?" Fred asked, though based on their direction he had a pretty good idea.

"Guess." The group was now surrounded by the remains of a forest, which had been decimated by the Covenant attack. Some things were still relatively untouched, like the boulder John was now feeling around. Once he released the catch, they made their way through the underground tunnels to a familiar workshop.

"Figured you'd find your way down here eventually," Lorienna greeted them, swirling into place in a shower of sparkles.

"Lori!" Young Kelly shouted, wriggling in Kelly's arms; the Spartan almost dropped her in surprise. Tom, who had Sam, appeared to be in a similar situation.

"Hello little ones. You two appear to be none the worse for the wear," the AI smiled kindly.

"Where's Mommy? The bad men wanted to hurt Mommy, where's Mommy?" Kelly started saying, but Lorienna cut her off.

"Mommy's a little busy, but she'll be here soon. She's very worried about you both. Now, how about a cartoon until she gets here?" Her distraction worked, and within minutes the two were watching animated figures running around on a holographic projector.

"This way," Lorienna whispered, drawing the Spartans' attention to a command center a little distance away. The AI came to life on yet another holographic tank, a frown crossing her face.

"Dr. Halsey and Chief Petty Officer Mendez will be arriving shortly—I sent them to the old base ruins right after you left. Figured you'll all have a lot of questions, and it's best if they're all asked at once." Lorienna sighed heavily and raked a hand through her hair, the same gesture Laura used when she was nervous. "There's gonna be a lot of fallout from this one, I know it."

"Nothing worse than what she's handed in the past, if I remember correctly," Linda replied. "She, the Helljumpers, and ONI have all bumped heads before."

"You have a point," Lorienna conceded. A blank look crossed her holographic features momentarily, followed by the appearance of Dr. Halsey and Mendez. "Good, my directions got you here in one piece."

"Well enough. What is this place?" Mendez asked.

"An old ONI bunker, forgotten after one of their failed black ops. We were able to commandeer it without their knowledge, which came in handy when the Covenant attacked. It's one of the safest little hidey-holes we have, though Laura mostly uses it for her projects." She was about to go on when Laura's voice interrupted as she rocketed into the command area—but it wasn't the Laura they had grown used to seeing. This Laura was panicking and frightened, her voice several octaves higher than normal, and tears stained her face.

"Sam? Kelly? Are you here, are you safe?" Hearing their mother's voice, the twins ran out of their room and into her arms. All three of them cried and hugged, while the Spartans looked on in confusion and amusement.

After a while, Laura looked up, her teary eyes showing relief. "Thank you, thank you so much. You saved them."

"They're Spartans, like we are," Kelly replied, placing one hand on the other woman's shoulder. "We look after our own, you should know that."

"I wasn't sure, but yes," Laura scooped up her twins and stood, tears still brimming in her dark eyes. "Their father and I…we both owe you so much."

"Do we know him?" Ash asked from the back—kind of tactlessly, but Laura wasn't going to point that out. He'd earned the right to be a bit blunt, they all had. _They should probably know now,_ she thought. _This is gonna be awkward, though_.

Before she even had the chance to open her mouth, a familiar, beloved voice cut her off.

"I am."


	15. Chapter 14: Fallout and Flood

Heyas! I'm back, and I have a few new tricks up my sleeve! Not the least of which is a new chapter for all my loyal readers! Enjoy, and feel free to hit the magic button down below!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Fourteen: Fallout And Flood

**April 25, 2558 1614 hours**

**Abandoned ONI bunker**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

"I am."

John heard himself speaking before he even realized it, but it really didn't matter; from the looks of things Laura had been about to say something anyway. Moving to Laura's side, he placed one hand on her left shoulder and took Sam from her arms. _By now they can see the resemblance_, he thought.

"And here I was hoping to keep people off your back," Laura cracked, the joke falling flat in the atmosphere. Though he had to admit, the fact that she was even attempting to joke was good, since it meant she was starting to calm down.

"Ackerson's probably already put the pieces together," Fred pointed out. "I know I suspected once you said they were yours, and if I could gather that then he definitely knows."

"And here I thought I was being subtle. Most people don't know, though—thankfully," Laura replied, shifting Kelly around; the little girl was wriggling all over the place. "I was hoping I'd have more time for explanations down the road, dealing with something like this isn't exactly my forte."

"Could someone please explain to me what's going on?" Mendez interrupted.

"You want the condensed version or the full story?" she shot back. "Either way, you're gonna find it hard to swallow."

"I think we can guess at the gist of it," Dr. Halsey interjected before tempers flared; John marveled at her ability to guess the situation. _Of course, it doesn't take a genius to see when Laura's about to blow_.

"What puzzles me is how this happened," the doctor continued. "According to my research, there was no mention of fertility after the augmentations."

"The Master Chief said the same thing when he found out," Lorienna interrupted, a small smile on her holographic features. "And as I told him, there was only a reference to a _risk_ of sterility, not absolute proof. Both of them were perfectly capable of having children, as you can see."

Laura shook her head, her trademark half-smile making its appearance. "And as with anything involving these two, it wasn't easy. Then you throw in an impending Covenant invasion and the evacuation of an entire area….yeah, things got really interesting. Practically right after these two were born I had to single-handedly buy time for everyone to get down here. Almost died, but it would've been worth it." She laughed bitterly. "One life for many, code of the SPARTAN-IIs."

"'_Almost_ died'"? Mendez asked incredulously. "What kind of odds were you facing?"

"About the same as the Master Chief did on Halo, only with less places to hide and/or run to. Only, lucky me, I had a few Covenant POWs on my side—they saw me go down and promptly ran to save my bacon. Then I got stashed in cryo until there was enough time to operate on me."

"And the children?" Dr. Halsey asked.

Laura looked down, as if she were ashamed to meet the older woman's eyes. "The Chief didn't know I was pregnant, and I couldn't send word even if I knew where he was. He wasn't here…he didn't get here until well after I ended up in the freezer. By the time I came back to consciousness, he already knew."

"Dr. Gedeon felt it was necessary, Laura. There was really nothing else that could have happened." Lorienna's voice was calm, acting as a mediator. "At any rate, what's done is done. All that matters right now is how it's dealt with. That, and protecting them from Ackerson." The AI scowled, and looked for all the world like she'd love to have something particularly destructive happen to the ONI colonel.

"Just find me a concealed spot and I'll take care of it," Linda offered with uncharacteristic vehemence.

"No can do, Linda," Laura shook her head. "If anything happens to that _kel-shor_ it'll be from me." John watched everyone's eyes widen, and it took him a moment to realize she'd used a Forerunner oath: _kel-shor_ was, according to the vague echoes he received from time to time, a pretty close translation to 'bastard' or 'jackass' or something along that mindset.

"Why would Ackerson be so interested in those two, apart from them being Spartan-bred? There has to be something else at stake," Dr. Halsey mused.

"Apart from trying to use them as leverage?" John pointed out, his grip on Laura's shoulder tightening slightly, forgetting that her scars from _Holy Retribution_ were still somewhat painful; she winced and shot him a dark look. "Sorry."

"Just don't do it again, that hurts—or at least watch where you're gripping. That's my bad shoulder, ya know." Setting Kelly down and rubbing her shoulder lightly, Laura walked to a terminal and began typing. "Ackerson knows I have…difficulties…in certain circumstances. Maybe part of him is hoping my children will have similar experiences: to him it's a potential wellspring of tactical information."

"Information?" Mendez asked, still very confused. John couldn't blame him, remembering his own difficulties with this particular subject.

"For now, let's just say my head's not entirely my own. Datapad, please," Laura asked, holding her hand out to Dr. Halsey. Once she had said datapad, she hooked it up to the computer and began transferring files. After a few moments she grunted and disconnected the 'pad, returning it to the doctor. "This should explain things a bit, but good luck trying to explain it to everyone else. Took me a few days to wrap my own mind around it, and I was actually _experiencing _this!" She chuckled at that, though John knew it was mostly a cover.

"That's true enough—there've been a couple instances where she's had some close calls. Remember when we were scouting out that science facility?" John saw the wince, and just barely dodged the hand that whipped towards him.

"Watch it, hotshot. You're not completely irreplaceable, you know," Laura scowled. "You know better."

"You two argue more than any married couple I've seen," Kelly teased; Laura shot a small smile her way.

"Pretty good, considering we aren't married," she replied, a sad look in her dark eyes. "ONI nixed that one almost immediately, not to mention that'd be hard to explain to everyone around. This is as close as we're gonna get."

"Hate to interrupt, but we've got problems," Lorienna popped in, a look of alarm on her face. "Ackerson's on the warpath, claiming you attacked him without provocation, and I just found out something disturbing in ONI's networks. Top-secret sh--stuff, which meant Cortana and I had to collaborate just to hack the codes."

"You two still work together? I'm impressed," Laura smirked, then her face grew serious. Setting Kelly down and motioning for John to do the same with Sam, she looked at her two children.

"We have some grown-up stuff to do, guys. Think you'll be okay with watching cartoons for a while?" The twins nodded, and Kelly looked up at Dr. Halsey.

"Are you mad at Mommy? She didn't do nothing wrong, did she? Don't be mad, please don't be mad at Mommy."

Dr. Halsey chuckled, and bent down to gently pat the young girl's head. "No, not mad, just a little surprised. Don't worry your pretty head over it." The child grinned and ran off, hand in hand with her twin brother.

"Okay, now that the sensitive ears are gone, feel free to elaborate on our potential problems." Laura moved to a second holotank that had gone unnoticed, and activated it; a slender blue woman materialized within seconds, data scrolling across her body too quickly for anyone to make out.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, guys," Cortana began, "so here it is. There are Flood forms on Earth, being experimented on by ONI Section III."

"Once I figured out where they were at, I took a look myself at the research labs—don't worry, they didn't see me," Lorienna reassured the group. "They have pretty good containment areas, but all it takes is one to get loose—they're good, but not good enough."

"Nothing is good enough when it comes to the Flood," Laura spat; in her agitation she started pacing, looking for all the world like a caged animal. "I don't even need to be Alaya to know—" she stopped and clapped a hand over her mouth, realizing too late that she'd said too much.

"Need to be Alaya?" Kelly repeated incredulously; John saw the worry in Laura's eyes and stepped in.

"Apparently the old Forerunners seeded dead worlds before the rings were fired, and as far as we can tell Laura—and all of us—are genetic matches to some of the old Forerunners from that time."

"That's the simplified version," Laura broke in. "What he doesn't realize is that genetic memory is included in the mix—I have a bunch of memories in my head that _aren't mine_, John has a few, and I daresay all of you S-IIs have them, though it's anyone's guess how deep they're buried. That damn circlet we found…I guess I wore it one too many times."

"We'll leave that for another time," Dr. Halsey commented. "In the meantime, we need to deal with the Flood. As Laura so bluntly pointed out, it only takes one Flood form to create disaster. How can we deal with this?"

Laura had started pacing again. "Lorienna, Cortana, any thoughts?"

"Stop pacing, for one: the ground's worn enough as is," Lorienna quipped; Laura shot her AI friend a very dirty look. "I was looking at one of the containment cells and saw it was rigged to deliver bursts of electricity—my guess is they're using it to determine tolerance levels. I could try wiping their previous tests or reprogramming the schedule to include batch testing at high levels."

"That wouldn't do much for the combat forms, though," Cortana interjected. "Carrier and infection forms would be wiped out pretty thoroughly…that might help. Problem is, the scientists would notice something odd happening and stop the test."

"Whoa, you two, slow down a sec," Laura interrupted, putting her hands on her temples to stall the headache she felt was starting. "First off, where's this place at? I know you two had to've found that out."

"Not too close to here, but not too far away," Lorienna mused. "I'd guess about three or four days on foot, a little less if you grab a car or something."

"If you managed to hijack a Pelican, you could be there in a little under an hour," Cortana picked up where Lorienna left off.

"Okay, you two are officially starting to scare me—I swear you're reading each other's digital minds." Laura shook her head, one hand raking through her hair in what was quickly becoming a normal habit.

"Well," Cortana smirked, "we did make some calculations as to what solution you would end up taking. The logical course would require some subtlety, but more than likely you're planning a direct assault."

"Not quite, but close enough." She smiled, the kind of smile that John and the others had learned meant trouble. "I might need some help pulling this one off."

Kelly, Fred, and Linda leaned forward, looks of anticipation on their faces.

--------

**April 25, 2558 1945 hours**

**Unknown ONI Research Facility**

**North America**

"Okay, NOW!" an urgent whisper cut through the stillness.

The sound of gunfire split the air, aimed toward a silent and seemingly harmless building; none of it made any difference to the black-suited figure dodging and weaving its way towards the target in question. _They're only blanks anyway—but enough to scare anyone inside._ Sure enough, armed guards started pouring out—two flashbangs later and they were comatose.

"I'm in position, ready when you are," Laura whispered through the COM. In less than a moment four other black-clad figured appeared beside her.

"That was fun, what's next?" Kelly joked.

"Next we break in—who's got the lockpick?" Fred nodded and moved to the door—in less than a minute he'd gotten it open and the team of five had slipped in the building.

"Lorienna said the labs should be this way," John motioned with one gloved hand; the group nodded comprehension and moved out.

_The young woman moved briskly through the lab, a report clutched tightly in one hand. The Flood were spreading faster than she liked, especially since there was very little that she knew of to stop the creatures._

_**"Thaddeus, are you in there?"**__ she called._

_**"Here, young one. I assume you have the results from the latest test?"**__ the old San 'Shyuum asked; he was far calmer than she would have liked._

_**"I have them here. All we have is consistent with battlefield reports, nothing new. They dislike high amounts of heat, and electricity, but there's no biological weakness to be found! As long as they have a food source they'll continue to spread uncontrollably!"**_

_**"Calm down, young one, panicking will do no good."**_

"Blade? Blade?" A hand was shaking her shoulder, and she realized she'd fallen on the floor somehow. Sitting up, Laura found herself in a lab surrounded by something out of her worst nightmares—which for her didn't mean much, since her worst nightmares were memories of these creatures. Squid-like infection forms skittered around their containment cells; carrier forms waddled up to the glass and tapped two deformed tentacles; combat forms beat against the almost meter-thick walls in an attempt to escape.

"I'm alright, believe it or not. Just flashbacks." She accepted the hand that Kelly offered and stood, shaking her head to clear it. "If it helps, I got some ways to kill these things. They don't like heat or electricity in large amounts, plus it's not too hard to beat holy hell outta the things."

"We have plasma grenades, would that work?" John and Laura both nodded. "Now how do we get them in there?"

Laura frowned as she considered the containment cells. She was familiar with the design, since her mom had to work with some serious bacteria; cells like these were used in quarantine procedures. Usually there was a slot to provide food to the person in quarantine, which meant that there was probably a weak spot in the cell, but where? Standing in front of the infection forms, Laura ran one hand over the glass, and then to the paneling above it. _Success!_ She crowed mentally when her fingers found the hidden catch.

"Quick, hand me a couple grenades—and get the real guns ready, just in case." Laura waited until the other Spartans were in place before manipulating the panel. _Hope this works_, she thought, priming the grenades and dropping them in. _If we're lucky we won't blow the cell up, if not we're screwed_.

John noticed the set of Laura's shoulders: she was uneasy about the plan, which was odd considering it was hers in the first place. There wasn't time to say anything, though, since as soon as she dropped the grenades she bolted to the far side of the room. The explosion was lethal, contained, and quite satisfying—infection forms popped and sizzled, and there appeared to be minimal damage to the containment cells.

"Odd, I was expecting a lot more damage done to the cell," Laura muttered. "Something's not right."

"Right or no, we have a mission to complete," Fred pointed out; Laura rolled her eyes and went to the next cell. The combat forms were her next targets, considering the damage a carrier could do with their suicide attacks. _The last things we need are combat forms AND infection forms in one sitting._ These were spread out over three different cells, and she knew it would be a lot harder to fool them—they were a bit smarter than the average Flood form. Still, somehow she managed to prime and drop the grenades.

"Two down, three to go," she quipped as she braced herself for the carrier forms. _If these blow open the cells, we're SOL._ "Everyone ready back there?" John nodded confirmation, and she knew if he was ready, everyone else would be too—he was the kind of person that made sure all areas were secure before moving on to the next room.

_Here goes nothing_, Laura thought as she dropped the grenades. The explosion was spectacular, and in a matter of minutes the cell was coated in green goo.

"Looks like HALO after I was done with it," John commented approvingly.

"Looks like my room when I was a teenager," she quipped back. "Let's get out of here." Dropping enough evidence to point the blame elsewhere, the team left the room.

"So who're we pinning the blame on?" Linda asked; Laura smirked, the trademark half-smile making her appear slightly diabolical.

"I pointed a finger at insurrectionists, and another one at a separate ONI cell—just enough to confuse the issue. Even if they suspect my involvement, there's not enough proof I was even there. We're as home free as it gets." Laughter rang out as the team boarded the Pelican and headed home.


	16. Chapter 15: Facing the Music

Hey all! Finally got another chapter up for you--my apologies for the delay, and for any weirdness herein (had a tough time with the whole court-martial bit). It's a little on the short side, but I promise longer chapters soon!

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo.

Chapter Fifteen: Face The Music

**April 26, 2558 1130 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes JAG Building**

**North America**

The handheld datapad flashed as Laura manipulated the few controls on it; visible on the screen were a number of variously shaped and colored blocks. A few taps of the button and the blocks rotated, a different button dropped it into place.

"They're running late," she muttered, her entire focus on the flashing screen in front of her.

"You're not the only one who's noticed this," Tom replied, his gaze regarding the 'pad curiously. "What are you doing?"

"Tetris," she answered. "It's an old game from the early 20th century, basically consists of rotating and dropping blocks to fill in blank spaces. I found it when I was a kid, and got hooked pretty quickly. It helps that it takes a lot of concentration to work with—keeps me from thinking overly much and sending myself insane."

"I'm impressed—from what I've seen, keeping you from going insane is no easy feat," Kelly chuckled.

Laura looked up briefly, just long enough to send a smile in the other woman's direction. "It can be done, if you know what you're doing." Looking back to her Tetris game, she continued, "A lot of times you just need something to keep me occupied mentally—which can be anything from a complex chore to some basic meditation. Failing that, then just give me something to let off some steam physically: sparring match, weapons practice, or just send me to Ryder's Farm. Ah, those beautiful Thoroughbreds…" she trailed off, losing concentration, and in a few seconds a loud beep hit everyone's ears.

"DAMN IT! I was so close to breaking my last record too!" She punched the power button and slid the datapad into a small satchel.

"Ahh, Tetris—easily amusing, yet just as easily frustrating," Lorienna's voice quipped from some unknown location. Laura's head snapped around before she caught the cheeky AI waving from a computer screen nearby. Dropping a curtsey, she winked and straightened up.

"They were done several minutes ago—Ackerson is purposely making them wait. It's no secret that waiting makes you antsy, I'll bet my next upgrade that he's trying to unsettle you."

"And hope I look bad in the process," Laura grumbled. "Sucker bet if ever there was one. Unfortunately for him, I thought to bring my Tetris pad with me."

"Not that it helped you much, you're still grumpy," the AI replied. "Be that as it may, you've got a lot going in your favor—most notably the security feed. ONI ran into some difficulties when they tried to erase it." She grinned evilly.

"Lorienna, remind me to work on some new upgrades for you when I get out of this," Laura grinned back. "I know I had some scrambler programs in the works."

"Oh I'll make it easy on you, Laura: just make me a Tetris program. You're not the only one who enjoys that game." The two glanced at each other before breaking out into identical grins.

"I'll see what I can do," Laura nodded, a smile still present on her face. Lorienna clapped her hands together before cocking her head; she looked like she was listening for something. "Incoming," she whispered right before she blinked off. Two seconds later Laura heard footsteps, followed by the appearance of one of the local MPs.

"They're ready for you now, ma'am," he said; Laura noticed he was slightly nervous. _Probably figures I'd gut him if I got the chance—makes me wonder what ONI's told him._

"No need to call me 'ma'am', I'm no officer." Standing up, she took a few seconds to smooth her dress uniform and turned to the others. "Wish me luck?"

"We've got your back," Kelly replied, the rest of the team nodding. Dr. Halsey smiled in her direction before adding, "I doubt ONI will be able to make the charges stick."

"Thanks." A brief smile flickered on Laura's face before she turned to face the door. "Time to face the music."

--------

**April 26, 2558 1135 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes JAG Building**

**North America**

"Not guilty." The words rang through the chamber, but to Laura they seemed to fall and die: it looked as though no one would believe her, and the officers in front of her looked like she was already condemned.

"SPARTAN-000, you say you plead not guilty, but we have confirmed evidence that you assaulted several military personnel for no apparent reason. What excuse do you have for this?" _That guy seems to be in Ackerson's pocket._

"Self-defense, and the defense of my children." She did not add any honorifics, nor did she look for any ranks; right now they were nameless, faceless officers who had broken their word, and she intended to make that clear. "Ackerson had them at gunpoint, and was threatening them in front of me. I have made it clear to ONI and the UNSC on multiple occasions that I will not tolerate any threats to my family—and I was promised that they would be left alone. When that promise was broken I acted accordingly and neutralized the threat to my children."

"There is absolutely no evidence to support—" one of the officers began.

"Actually, there is. The security tapes can confirm my story." Laura hid a smirk at the uproar this caused. _This is about to get highly entertaining._

"Security tapes? Why in _hell_ weren't we told about this?" the lead officer boomed. _Because Ackerson and his ONI cronies want to convict me_, she thought, but knew better than to speak her mind—no need to cause further uproar. Instead she decided to keep quiet and wait. Now that they knew about the rather incriminating video footage, there was only one possible outcome, or so she hoped.

--------

John waited quietly in the corridor with his fellow Spartans, Chief Mendez and Dr. Halsey for Laura to reappear from her hearing. Depending on how convinced the panel was of her guilt, she could either be discharged or acquitted.

"You worried, Chief?" Kelly asked. John shook his head briefly.

"Only a little," he replied. "Laura's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

"Most of the time," Fred pointed out. "Remember that winter when her niece fell through the ice? She dove in after her, _ran soaking wet_ through cold weather, and came down with hypothermia? She had to try and fight off a group of Helljumpers and wasn't able to do it."

"It didn't help that they'd taken her combat knives early on," Linda said with a smile. "She was so preoccupied with getting her niece warm that she didn't even hear them come in. Fortunately for her we'd made a habit of tailing her to learn her habits, and we came in just in time to scare them off."

"Yeah, back then that was the only time I was glad to see you guys around," Laura's voice interrupted, soon followed by her strolling down the corridor. Her trademark half-smile was on her face, but her relaxed walk told them all they needed to know.

"I take it things went well?" Dr. Halsey asked, standing up to greet the smiling Spartan. This time a full-fledged grin broke out on Laura's face.

"I've caused quite an uproar, and I daresay Ackerson wasn't expecting it. They didn't know about the video surveillance." By now she was grinning from ear to ear.

"You seem to cause an uproar wherever you go, don't you?" Mendez shot; Laura's grin disappeared. _I am _really_ beginning to not like him_.

"You just expect me to lay down and die? Because the minute I stop reminding people that I'm still alive, the chances that I'll die unexpectedly go up. By causing trouble and being unpredictable I extend my lifespan. I can't afford to risk playing quietly, not with ONI trying to kill me off at every turn."

"Paranoid much?" Ash asked.

"Old habits die hard, and ONI doesn't give up. And I'm not about to let my guard down." Running one hand through her hair, she sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to snap, but there's a lot of bad memories tied to ONI, it makes me edgy."

"Don't worry about it," Kelly came up and slugged her in the shoulder; Laura flinched. "We've got your back."

"Thanks," Laura smiled. Then she did something surprising: offering her hand to Kelly, she pulled her into a close hug for a few minutes before letting her loose. "It's good to have a friend or two."


	17. Chapter 16: Insanity

Hey all! Yes, it's another short chapter, but I actually like how this one turned out--but that's just my opinion. I'll be continuing this indefinitely, so rest assured there will be other (hopefully longer) chapters to come. Enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo.

Chapter Sixteen: Insanity

**June 21, 2558 1123 hours**

**Blade's Bunkhouse**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

About two months had passed since humanity had made contact with the remains of the Forerunner civilization, and things had quieted down for the most part. Laura maintained a steady contact with Arisaya, the young Forerunner scientist that ONI had kept in Sydney, and the two had bonded well. Meanwhile Dr. Halsey and the S-IIIs had settled in nicely, and for the most part things were moving well. For the most part, however, is the operative term: Laura was slowly losing ground mentally, though she never dared to admit it. She was seeing more and more of Alaya's memories, and more often than not it took quite some time for her to remember where and who she was.

"This shouldn't be happening," she muttered quietly, pacing in the living area of her bunkhouse.

"What, mommy?" Laura looked up in time to see Kelly clamber into a chair, Sam close behind: the two of them had grown, but were still small enough to fit in the same chair.

"Nothing, sweetie, mommy's just thinking. Whatcha need?"

"Can we go out to Silver Pond today?" Sam asked.

"We wanna go swimming," Kelly added.

"Okay, let's go find our bathing suits then," Laura agreed, faster than she normally would. _Maybe a swim will get my mind off things, plus I could use the exercise_. While in actuality she was still in the peak of human fitness, she still felt conscious of her body after having given birth to her kids, and considered herself slightly overweight. When the twins had collected their swimsuits, Laura grabbed hers and herded the group out the door.

One of the flukes about the new base location was that it had been constructed not five minutes away from Silver Pond, which meant Laura and her children could go there whenever they liked; they often had family trips to the pond, and the twins were already better swimmers than Laura had been at their age. Arriving at the pond, it took only minutes before they had changed into their swimsuits and dove into the pond.

"Mommy, mommy, look, look!" Kelly pointed to a distant group of approaching people; Laura recognized John's gait, and the flash of red hair that was Linda's. _Ok, we have the S-IIs at least, I don't see any of the three's though._ Submerging herself and moving to a small concealed area (just a floating series of branches and an overhanging bush), she prepared an ambush.

"Sam, Kelly, where's your mom at?" John asked. The two children giggled, and Laura waited.

"She has to be around here somewhere," Kelly's voice echoed.

"Where, though? There aren't a lot of places to hide." She saw a pair of boots in front of her hiding place, followed by Fred's voice. _Oh, this is too perfect!_

"I think I found—" Striking quickly, Laura grabbed the boots and yanked; Fred yelled and toppled into the pond with a very large splash. A roar of laughter rang out from the shore, and Laura joined in, swimming out of concealment.

"Gotcha," she chortled while she tried to rein in her laughter.

"Why is it always me, huh?" Fred sputtered as he swam back to shore.

"You make it too easy, that's why," she replied, still grinning. "Come on in, the water's perfect, ya know?"

"Nothing's perfect, you know that," Linda pointed out; Laura's face fell.

"All too well, but right now this day's turning out okay." Laying on her back in the water, she closed her eyes and just felt the water lapping at her body. Too late she realized that things had gotten quiet; next thing she knew there was a large splash and a wave of water hit her full in the face.

Sputtering, she came up and gasped, "What the heck? Who did that?" Laughter rang around her, and she noticed John was swimming next to her, a childish grin all over his face.

"That's it, now you're dead!" she shouted right before sending a wave at him, sparking an all-out water war in which everyone participated eagerly. Even Linda joined in, and when the whole group finally left later in the afternoon they were soaked and laughing, one of those rare moments of fun that chased away shadows.

--------

It was shortly after 5 pm (1700 military time) when a dried-off Laura got a knock on her bunkhouse door. _Who could that be? _she wondered as she opened the door a crack.

"Mind if I come in?" Kelly asked; Laura nodded, still puzzled, and opened the door.

"Sure, but only if you tell me what's up," she answered. Kelly nodded and sat down; it looked to Laura as if she didn't know where to begin.

"How did you and John end up together?" she asked. _An unusual opening, but I'll roll with it._

"It wasn't the smoothest of beginnings—more often than not we were close to killing each other. In time, though, we started to respect each other, and that grew into something neither one of us expected—and something neither of us knew how to handle. People that get close to me usually end up in danger, and I try hard to keep people at arms length because of it. John didn't understand that, and when I tried to protect him…it didn't go well. But in time we made it happen, in spite of the rocky start we had. Though sometimes I wondered if it's really us, and not the people we used to be, that made us work so well. Be that as it may, I love him regardless." Laura smiled at the memories, but then looked at Kelly thoughtfully. "I take it that you've been experiencing something similar?"

Kelly looked down, almost shamefully, and admitted, "I…I had once hoped that John and I could be together. Don't get me wrong, I see how happy he is now, and I won't take that away. Even if I could, I don't think I want to now, especially since…"

Laura noticed the other woman was struggling with something, and having been in a similar situation once she understood. "Who is he, Kelly? You can trust me, I'll keep your secret." When Kelly didn't answer, she ventured a guess. "Fred?"

"I…I didn't expect it to happen, and then we ended up trapped together on Onyx, and I realized I felt different around him. I don't know how to handle this."

Laura smiled. "No one ever does, not at first. I certainly had no clue. But after awhile, I learned what I needed to know. Mostly it's about following your heart, and your instincts to a degree. The most important thing to me, though, is to be yourself. If someone cares about you—and truly cares enough about you—it's because of who you are, and changing yourself won't matter a bit."

"That's why I asked you—you've had a lot of experience," Kelly smiled softly. "But what if he doesn't feel anything back?"

"There's always that risk, it's true," Laura nodded. "But if he breaks your heart, I'll break his legs." The two women looked at each other for a moment before breaking into peals of laughter.

--------

**June 21, 2558 2030 hours**

**Blade's Bunkhouse **

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

After Kelly left and the twins were in bed, Laura sat down in the middle of the floor, a pained expression on her face. _I wish John were here_, she thought sadly—since the Spartans had returned he'd been spending more time in their barracks rather than with her and the twins. In a way that was good, since he wasn't there to see her daily slide to insanity, but without him she had a lot less focus. _Heaven help me_, she thought as the memories began to flood her mind.

There was something new this time, though: her own voice was echoing inside her head, calling to her, saying something she couldn't make out clearly.

"No, please, no, get out of my mind," she whispered, near tears; it wasn't a painless process to have someone else's memories taking over your mind.

_Can you hear me? Can you hear? Is there anyone left to hear?_

"Leave me alone, please leave me alone! I don't want this, stay out of my mind," she sobbed, curling up into a ball on the floor. Unknown to her, a pair of eyes recorded her distress, watched her as she cried herself to sleep, and prepared to intervene .

**Spartan Barracks 2045 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

In a barracks across Camp Hayes, an AI swirled to life on a holographic pad, concern written across her digital features.

"Master Chief, are you there?" John and his fellow Spartans approached the pad.

"Lorienna, what's going on?" Lorienna shook her holographic head sadly.

"We have a problem—a very serious problem." Vanishing from the pad, she replaced herself with an image of Laura on the floor in her bunkhouse, curled up in the fetal position and sobbing.

"_Get out of my mind, get out and leave me alone, please go away!_" The small image looked almost unbelievable to be true, but there was no doubt that it was Laura herself. And by the looks of things, it was a Laura barely hanging on to sanity.

"Lorienna, what happened?" Kelly asked; she knew Laura hadn't looked like this when she'd visited earlier. Then she recalled a haunted look in Laura's eyes, a look that had been brushed aside as soon as she offered to help her. _Why didn't she say anything?_

"Believe it or not, I have no idea, but I can theorize that it has something to do with her subconscious memories of Alaya. It appears that she's starting to lose control of the memories for some unknown reason. This has never happened before, though."

"How long has she been struggling with this?" Dr. Halsey asked; the doctor approched the pad and studied the image, as if looking for a clue as to the state of mind of the occupant.

"About two months since she returned with you from that trip to Zeta Doradus. It's been so gradual that even I didn't realize it, until now." The AI stopped speaking, and when she resumed her voice was sad. "Some AI I am, if I can't even see my own creator suffering."

Dead silence hung through the barracks; every occupant simply stared at the sobbing image displayed on the pad. John's voice was the first to break the silence.

"Why didn't she tell me?"


	18. Chapter 17: Twist of Fate Pt I

Hey all! As promised, a nice lengthy chapter to make up for the tiny ones. Granted, some of the points in here might not make a lot of sense, but if something really slaps you as wrong let me know and I'll fix it. And the "twist of fate" will come into play a little more next chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Seventeen: Twist of Fate Part I

**June 22, 2558 0610 hours**

**Blade's Bunkhouse**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

_She wandered through a clearing, a breeze lifting the ends of her hair off her back. Wait, why was her hair down? At least she was wearing her blacksuit, but her knives were missing. Someone was calling her name, but she couldn't hear them clearly._

_**I am glad you have come**__, she heard as a mirror image of herself appeared. Only this reflection wore a flowing green gown, and part of her hair was done in elaborate braids around her head while the rest flowed down her back._

_**Alaya? What are you doing here? Why am **_**I**_** even here?**_

_**I need you to listen**__, her reflection answered. __**I need you to help me.**_

_**You're dead, your memories are trying to take over my head. How do I know this isn't just your memories all over again?**_

_**I showed you the means of control, remember? I mean no harm to you, but I am growing desperate, even in death. You are the only one who can hear my call.**_

_**Wait, you're a **_**ghost**_**? And I'm suddenly psychic? This has got to be one of the weirdest dreams I've ever had.**_

_**No, you are not 'psychic', not in the sense that you think. It is the memories you hold which allow you to hear me, and allow me to connect with you now. I led you to the shield world, in time to meet the last of us, or did you think it was mere chance you remembered what was there?**_

_**I just thought…I don't know.**__ She sighed and raked one hand through her hair. __**What do you want from me, Alaya?**_

_**I need you to listen to my words, young one**__. Her double began to fade, but she had one last thing to say._

_**Remember Stronghold.**_

Laura felt herself waking up, and for a minute wondered why she couldn't move. As the fog slowly cleared from her mind, she registered one arm draped across her body, a solid form against her back, and another arm underneath her head. She felt safe, the kind of safe feeling that only one person gave her, but wondered why she was in John's arms in her bed when she clearly remembered crying herself to sleep in the middle of her floor. _Better get moving, as long as I don't wake him up doing so_. Shifting carefully, she slowly began to lift his arm…

"Leaving already?" John murmured; Laura shot up like a rocket, whirling around to meet a pair of dark, penetrating eyes. He sat up slowly, still looking at her intently. Laura tried not to notice the fact that his torso was bare, even though the rest of him was still fully clothed.

"Does it matter? I can't really do anything anyway, not with the kids asleep. I just figured I'd get up and find something to occupy my time while you _slept_." Standing up and getting out of bed, she began rummaging around for a change of clothes. She'd just located one of her workout suits when John grabbed her and yanked her back.

"You're not going anywhere, Laura," he growled, pinning her down; on any other day she would've taken it as a challenge and an invitation, but not this time. The look in her lover's eyes meant he was serious, and that he meant business.

"Lorienna got a hold of us last night, once you collapsed and started yelling at yourself. Had I known you were having trouble I would've been here sooner."

"Had you even _been_ here I wouldn't have collapsed," she hissed—her anger was irrational, and part of her knew it, but she lashed out anyway. "Had you been here I would've been able to maintain some semblance of reality, rather than been hearing voices from someone who's supposed to be dead!"

"Then why didn't you say you needed me?" he shot back. "Why didn't you _tell_ me you were slipping again? That you were in trouble?" She saw the unspoken question in his eyes, the one he couldn't bring himself to ask. _Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me?_ Laura felt herself wilting, knowing he was right but still afraid to admit it.

"You were happy, I had no right to get in the way of that." It was an excuse, they both knew it, but she couldn't tell him the truth. _Not when I'm not ready to believe it myself._ "Besides, you weren't around to tell."

"That's bullshit and you know it. Now do you want to tell me, or do I call in your mother and General West?" John watched her wince at what he knew was a low blow, but he was bound and determined to get some answers.

"Fine, I'll talk, just get off me," she grumbled. John rolled to the side and let her sit up, but he kept a firm grip on her arm.

She started with the events two months ago, and the memory that had brought them to the Zeta Doradus system, and going through every memory since then: flashes of Alaya's life, strange dream encounters, ending with the dream she had had just that morning. John simply sat there and listened, but she knew that even for her, with her many paranoid thoughts that people were after her (never mind that more often than not she was right) this took the cake as one of the most screwy ideas she'd ever had. _Say something, you dim-witted, all brawn no brain…Spartan!_ She couldn't take it, him just sitting there and looking at her, and turned away—she wasn't very good at admitting when she was wrong, or dealing with personal problems like this.

"Go ahead, say it. You think I'm crazy," she muttered resignedly.

"I would, if it weren't for the fact that you and I have both worn that circlet thing—I know for a fact that we both have memories like that. Plus the Forerunners did have a talent for bending space and time."

"I know—saw the report on that crystal." She found herself smiling a bit when he reacted, even though he knew about her hacking skills. "But this doesn't match up, not really—how can someone be bending time when they're dead? And why me and not one of her own people?"

"The memories," John answered. "You have her memories, so it makes sense you'd get the most contact. And the Forerunners were in another dimension entirely, so any ghost wouldn't have known where to find them."

"Alaya would have," Laura reminded him. "She designed the shield-worlds, with help from a number of other scientists, so she could've found a way." She sighed, raking her hand through her hair, an all-too-common gesture when she was rattled. "None of this makes any sense."

John couldn't say anything; for one thing, he didn't know where to begin, and for another, it was doubtful Laura would listen to him. When it came to solving her own problems, she preferred to do it by herself. Which usually meant she either shoved them aside or repressed them altogether, as he'd learned the hard way over time.

Laura sighed again, giving up on any hope that he'd say anything, and pulled her arm out of his grip. Getting up, she started pacing the room—yet another nervous habit of hers when she was trying to figure something out. She stopped halfway through her fourth round around the room and looked at him.

"Just curious, how did I end up in bed? I seem to recall being curled up in a ball on the floor in the living area." She noticed John shift, an almost subtle motion that said he was nervous.

"As I said, Lorienna got in touch with us; I came as soon as I could without getting caught. She'd unlocked everything beforehand, and when I got in you'd passed out." He looked her in the eye and Laura noticed he was definitely uncomfortable; in fact, he looked almost _upset_, if such a thing could be said of a Spartan.

"I must've looked pretty messed up, if I scared you that badly," Laura smiled her trademark half-smile, but her eyes were sad. "John, you look rattled, and when even I can see it there's a problem. How bad was I?"

John sighed. "You were shaking and crying, even though you were asleep, and you kept telling someone to get out and leave you alone. I had to carry you to bed." He got up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I've never seen you like this, like you'd just given up. And in all honesty, it scared the hell out of me; even the Covenant didn't scare me that badly."

Laura really didn't know what to say to that—for once any flippant retorts had left her. She had no reassurance, no smart comments, absolutely nothing. All she could do was whisper, "I'm sorry." Fortunately, an opening door cut off any further conversation.

"Anyone alive in here?" Kelly called jokingly.

"Shit, she's gonna wake the kids," Laura hissed right before bolting…well, _attempting_ to bolt, considering she turned and ran smack-dab into the doorframe. "Ow," she muttered sardonically right before Fred stuck his head in the door.

"Better get out here, before Kelly and the kids destroy your kitchen," he joked. Laura rubbed the fresh sore spot on her right arm before darting to the kitchen.

"She doing okay?" Fred asked; John nodded.

"For now she's fine," he answered. "Later on, though, who knows?"

The two shared a chuckle when Laura's voice interrupted their conversation, yelling:

"How on _earth_ do you plan to make scrambled eggs by using _chocolate syrup_?"

--------

**June 22, 2558 0932 hours**

**Blade's Bunkhouse**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

_Bless Nicole's heart_, Laura thought as she waved goodbye to her two troublemakers. When Laura had called Nicole and asked for her help, she gladly offered to take Sam and Kelly swimming while Laura explained a few things. Unfortunately, this meant she had one less friendly face to stand by her when she faced Dr. Halsey and the other Spartans. _Though in all honesty, I think Nick would've agreed with them more than me—keeping them in the dark was not one of my brighter moves, but what else could I have done, really?_ Years of being watched and trying to keep one step ahead of ONI had caused her to be really untrustworthy; she really tried to trust other people, but when the shit hit the fan she went back to her old habits.

"Y'know, stalling like this isn't going to help matters," Lorienna interrupted her musings. The AI sounded upset, and Laura couldn't blame her.

"I know, but you of all people should know why I'm stalling," she replied. She sighed, fiddling with the ends of her brown hair. "I'm really not looking forward to this."

"No, but you've got to get it over with," Lorienna pointed out.

"I know that too." Sighing again, Laura turned to the living area, and the eleven people waiting for answers. _Thirteen, if you count Lorienna and Cortana, but I don't know if Cortana is listening. Wouldn't surprise me if she was though._

She walked into the living area, noticing the various faces and their expressions: curiosity from the SPARTAN-IIIs, concern from Dr. Halsey, borderlined-hostility from Mendez, and grim looks from the SPARTAN-IIs. John in particular looked uneasy, though she could see he'd calmed down somewhat.

"I'm not going to defend myself—I screwed up, and I don't doubt your opinions of me have dropped considerably because of it." _Best to get this over as quickly as possible_, she thought. "I'm sure you have a ton of questions, so go ahead and ask them—it'll be easier that me trying to explain everything all at once."

"We know you've been losing it," Ash opened; Laura winced but didn't throw back an answer. "You had to've known something was going on, so why didn't you say anything?"

Laura shifted, not entirely sure how to answer it. _Figures they'd ask the hardest question first._ "Well, first off, would you admit to anyone if you were starting to lose your mind? I've had ONI after me since I turned 14 and the SPARTAN project started being successful—any hint that I can't hold my own anymore and I'm dead, which is one risk I can't afford to take. Second, I wasn't sure I wanted to admit it to myself. Some truths you don't want to accept, no matter how many times they come back to haunt you. Third, I'm not exactly the type to ask for help, in case you haven't noticed."

"And fourth?" Lorienna prodded. "I know you aren't telling us everything—hell, I know _you_."

"Then if you know me so well, you'll know why I'm stopping at three and let it be," Laura growled. _She _really_ doesn't want us to know something_, Kelly thought.

"Tough shit," Lorienna shot back. "Either you tell them, or I will. They deserve to know, they need to know, and I think they've earned the right to know." Laura scowled at the AI, but she met the glare without flinching.

"Fine, but that means no upgrades for the next month," she grumbled, but everyone knew it was an empty threat; she couldn't afford to not keep Lorienna ahead of everything else. "Fourth…" she swallowed, and everyone in the room could tell this was one thing she didn't want them to hear.

"I'm…I'm afraid," Laura finally whispered. She closed her eyes, as if by doing that she could pretend they weren't there, that they weren't judging her. "I'm scared half to death by all this, by the thought that one of these days I'll wake up and not be me anymore. I guess I thought if I kept quiet things could go on as usual, just for a little longer. Thought I could pretend nothing was wrong." _There, now it's out, nothing I can do anymore._ She waited for the condemnation, for movement, for _anything_.

"And you can't show fear?" Tom asked. She nodded, but it was Lorienna who explained.

"By showing any emotion besides anger or carelessness, she gives ONI a potential weapon. They've studied her for years, they know how they could get to her, and they've tried just about every tactic they could. It got to the point where Laura had to wear a mask just so no one could read her; it became a shield of sorts."

Laura still didn't look at any of them; in fact, she looked down and opened her eyes rather than look at them. _Pretty sad that I'm too ashamed to even look John in the face_. A pair of boots came toward her, and she felt a heavy hand on her left shoulder; she winced instinctively as the old scar flared up.

"Fear's normal, this situation isn't," Kelly reminded her; Laura saw another pair of boots approach and heard Linda add, "We just want to know, so we can help."

Laura shrugged. "I doubt there's anything any of us can do. There's a lot more going on here, more than I can even understand."

"Please explain, then," Dr. Halsey requested. Laura, for the second time in one morning, launched into her unusual dream from the night before. She also pointed out the strange voice that had been asking if there was anyone listening to her.

"I don't get it," she finished. "There's no possible reason for this to be happening, no trigger, and no way a ghost could reach this far and affect me. And why just me, rather than one of the other Forerunners?"

"Hard to say," Dr. Halsey mused. "But I know someone we'll be able to ask in a few days." Laura's head shot up. "Arisaya and her friend Arnyris will be arriving to discuss an upcoming assignment; we can ask them then."

"Joy, more people who get to fret about my mental state," Laura muttered, holding one hand to her forehead. "Bad enough that Mom worries about my physical health 24/7. Dammital, when's it going to end?"

"When you stop hiding things?" Lorienna quipped.

"Not helping," she growled. Turning to an eastern window, Laura found herself facing the ruins of the old camp—you could see them well from this window, and more often than not she felt guilt when she looked at them. Now, though, she felt indifference.

"'Remember Stronghold,' she said," she muttered. "What in hell's half acre is that supposed to mean?"

"Stronghold?" Laura turned to see Lorienna eyeing her with interest, but it had been Dr. Halsey who had spoken.

"In the dream, the last thing Alaya said to me was 'Remember Stronghold'. I'm assuming it's something important, but it could be anything."

"Well, let's let it be for now," the doctor decided. "Right now I think you and John have some talking to do—and you need to relax a bit before you _do_ snap." Her expression softening, she added: "You can come to me, if you need to."

"Mom keeps saying the same thing," Laura smiled. "But thanks anyway."

"You're welcome." Goodbyes were said and everyone departed…well, _almost_ everyone. Lorienna never left, and John had stayed near one of the chairs. Once Laura had closed the door he grabbed one arm and dragged her to her bedroom.

"Promise me you'll never do something stupid like that again," he growled, yanking her against him; the look on Laura's face was a combination of annoyance and resignation.

"You know better than to ask me to make promises like that," she replied, half-heartedly pushing at his chest. "I don't make promises I can't keep."

"Not even when your safety is on the line?" he yelled; Laura winced as his grip tightened. "You're so concerned about protecting everyone, well now it's time to protect yourself too! It's not just you that's affected anymore—what happens when Sam and Kelly find out their mother's been hurt, or worse? They can't lose you, _I_ can't lose you!"

Laura opened her mouth to reply, but shut it immediately: John wasn't in the mood to argue, and in any case he was right. Still, though, he wasn't acting himself.

"What's gotten into you, John? You're about as nuts as I am at the moment."

"Gee, maybe the fact that you didn't tell anyone you were slipping, and I almost lost you?" He lowered his head and kissed her fiercely; Laura could tell he was as scared as she had been, if not more so. "I can't lose you," he whispered into her mouth, kissing her again.

"I'm not planning on being lost," she answered. John pulled her down onto the bed, and for awhile the two of them drew comfort from each other.

--------

_"__**You take too many risks, Alaya!**__"_

_The young scientist flinched at hearing the captain's tone, but outwardly she maintained her cool composure._

_"__**Are you concerned for the well-being of the ringworld's citizenry, Captain, or simply worried that the new weapon modifications will not be finished?**__" she answered tartly. "__**Either way, your concerns are unfounded. I am more than capable of holding my own.**__" Her younger brother's commanding officer scowled._

_"__**Were you under my command, I would have you disciplined for insubordination,**__" he began, but she interrupted him._

_"__**Then it is good that I am not, Captain. Now if you would be so kind as to depart, I can finish these upgrades all the more quickly.**__" Turning back to her work, she thought that was the end of the matter. Corin, however, seemed to have other ideas: grabbing her upper arm, he swung her around, and he was suddenly much too close for her liking._

_"__**First you fight the Flood alone, then lock yourself in a room with one to save your brother Marin, now you propose to test a toxin against them alone? When does it end, Alaya? When do you stop putting yourself at risk?**__"_

_"__**When Marin is safe, as I promised my father on his deathbed**__," she answered, trying to free herself from his grasp; Corin held firm._

_"__**And what about your own safety, **_**alaya**_**?**__" he whispered. Pulling her close, he kissed her fiercely, a kiss that set her mind reeling and nearly brought her to her knees. Pulling away, he softly brushed the side of her face with his free hand._

_"__**Marin is not the only one who cares for you**__," Corin whispered before he turned and left the laboratory. She stood and watched him go, her mind still reeling from his kiss._

_"__**He is right, young one**__," Thaddeus's voice interrupted her musings. "__**You put yourself at risk far to often. There is no reason for it.**__"_

_"__**I know, Thaddeus,**__" she replied, her voice shaking. "__**But if I am forced to fight for my life, then I need not think of all I could lose.**__"_

Laura shot bolt upright, waking from a nap she never intended to take; to her left, John sat up with concern.

"Laura, what happened?"

"I…I had a dream, or was it a memory? I don't know anymore," she sighed. Seeing the question already on his face, she volunteered, "Alaya was planning another test, some sort of poison. She was going to go in alone and introduce it to Flood specimens, and Corin was arguing about it with her. He…he was trying to convince her not to go, or at least not to go alone." Tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes, and she turned away; she hated it when people saw her cry.

"Sounds like Corin and I have a few things in common," John commented. "Both you and Alaya seem too stubborn for your own good."

"Thanks for the reminder," she grumbled. Leaning forward, she rested her head in her hands. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Arisaya will be here in a few days," John reminded her. "You can ask her advice then."

"I may not _have_ a few days, John. For all we know it could be tomorrow that I snap for good."

"Don't give up yet. Besides, from the sounds of things this ghost or spirit or whatever it is had no idea what it was doing. Maybe it'll scale things back now that it realizes what it's doing to you."

"Maybe, but I'm not holding out much hope," Laura finished, shaking her head. In her mind, though, the beginnings of a plan were forming. _Crazy, but she said she meant no danger. And besides, I put it on and she showed me how to control the memories, so it should work._

John noticed the change in her expression; when she started staring off into space you could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

"Laura, please tell me you're not planning something crazy."

"Crazy or not, it may be my only shot. You weren't there, but I know you heard about how I finally managed to get control. And you're right, Alaya doesn't mean any harm."

"If you put that thing on…" John began, but Laura cut him off.

"Then I run the risk of losing it altogether, I know. But I have to do _something_, John. 'Sides, I have the feeling that this is the right course." She smirked wryly. "You're not gonna talk me out of this one, hotshot."

"I know," John sighed. "But I'm going with you. Someone needs to be there to keep you grounded. And you should at least tell Lorienna and Dr. Halsey."

"Lorienna already knows, considering she's been listening the whole time. As far as Dr. Halsey…" Laura paused, turning so she could look him dead in the eye. "Can we trust her?"

"I'd trust her with my life."

--------

**June 23, 2558 0012 hours**

**Spartan Barracks**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

Laura slipped in the door, a small silver circlet clutched tightly in her hands. Lucy shut the door behind her before taking up a position near one window. The other windows were manned by Fred, Tom, Ash, and Kelly. Linda and John were waiting with Dr. Halsey.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Laura muttered, surrendering the circlet to Dr. Halsey.

"It's safer for you if we do this here," the doctor answered. "Besides, I for one would like to see the effect of this for myself."

"Sorry to disappoint then, Doc, but you won't see much. I don't start muttering or anything, just stare off into space."

"We're taking no chances," Mendez growled. "If this sends you insane, we need people who can handle you."

Laura scowled, but couldn't argue the point. "Let's just get this over with," she sighed. She lay down on one of the beds, and Dr. Halsey slid the circlet on her head. Feeling the tug at the back of her mind, she closed her eyes:

_"__**Alaya, why do you hide yourself like this?**__" The question came from her brother's wife, Eilinn, now heavy with Marin's child._

_"__**What do you mean, Eilinn? I do not hide myself**__," she replied._

_"__**You do not fool me, Alaya. I can see the hurt, and the fear. You hide yourself in your work, but I do not understand why**__."_

_"__**Naryse put you up to this, didn't she?**__" Alaya frowned._

_"__**Actually, I am doing this on my own. Now will you tell me?**__"_

_Alaya sighed and turned to face Eilinn, making no effort to hide her grief. "__**When our father died I promised him that I would watch over Marin and protect him. I have devoted my entire life to this task, even with my many accomplishments in the sciences. But now…now I want more.**__"_

_"__**Corin?**__" Eilinn smiled. "__**Naryse and I can see how he looks at you, and Marin has told me many times that you are both well-suited for each other**__."_

_"__**I cannot bind to him, Eilinn, not if I would keep my word. If I am to protect Marin I cannot allow myself any distractions. The only luxury I allow myself is dancing for the festivals, which serves more to clear my head than anything**__."_

_"__**I do not think your father meant for you to waste your life, Alaya**__." Eilinn murmured. "__**But it does not answer my question. Why do you hide yourself? Are you afraid of Corin?**__"_

_"__**Of Corin, no, at least no more than any other man**__," she answered. "__**I am afraid of my heart—I cannot allow myself to feel, and yet I fear I am already too late. I also fear for him, as much as you fear for Marin when he is away.**__"_

_"__**To love is to risk, Alaya, and I would not trade my time for Marin for the world**__."_

Laura felt herself smiling briefly; young Eilinn was wiser than her years. Then the memory changed:

_"__**Alaya, child, I must speak with you.**__" The elderly San 'Shyuum hobbled into the lab; an accident had left him with an injured leg._

_"__**I am here, Thaddeus**__," she called, moving closer. Setting down a vial of viscous green liquid, she moved to help him to a chair. "__**I thought the healers said you should stay off your leg**__."_

_"__**This is more important than my wound, young one**__," Thaddeus insisted. He handed her a small data chip. "__**Listen to this**__."_

_Alaya frowned, but saw the seriousness in the old scientist's expression. Sliding the chip into a data receptacle, she played the transmission. An elderly human woman appeared on the projector, wavering in a static-filled transmission._

_"__**This is…research facility…Stronghold…emergency situation…we are under attack! Request deployment…evacuation…**__" The broadcast broke for a moment, ending with a frantic cry:_

_"__**Please help us!**__"_

_"__**This was received minutes ago, from one of our research outposts on the Outer Rim,**__" Thaddeus muttered. "__**The High Council has ordered the military to mobilize.**__"_

_"__**Do we know what happened there, old one?**__" Alaya asked._

_"__**No, as you saw the transmission was weak. But by now there is little hope that anyone is still alive**__." Thaddeus noticed her pale face, and that her hand shook when she reached to turn off the holo projector. "__**Are you well, young one?**__"_

_"__**The woman…the woman who sent this…she was an old friend, and a dear one**__," ALaya murmured._

Laura opened her eyes and sat up, rubbing her temples; a headache was beginning to set in. _That was informative_, she thought.

"Did you learn anything?" Dr. Halsey asked.

"A few things, but I'll wait until I have all the pieces before I jump in headfirst," she answered. "Stronghold was a Forerunner world, there were Forerunners there, but beyond that I couldn't say much more."

"Then we had better hope Arisaya can help to fill in the blanks," John interjected, resting one hand on her shoulder; Laura was glad for the support, but refrained from showing it.

"Let's hope so."

--------

**June 25, 2558 1221 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

Laura was waiting near the landing pads as the Pelican came in from Sydney; she had volunteered to escort the ONI group to a conference area for debriefing. _Right on time, as only ONI can be_, she thought. Still, she had to admit it would be good to see Arisaya again.

The dropship landed smoothly, and an ONI lieutenant led the way down the ramp. Behind him were a Sangheili, a Jiralhanae, a San 'Shyuum, and a human: judging by their fancy robes these were members of the High Council. Behind them were two young humans, both of whom she recognized.

"**Arisaya!**" she called, and the young scientist turned and hurried forward.

"**I am glad to see you are well, Laura**," the young scientist greeted.

"**And I you, young one. ONI hasn't hurt you yet, and you appear to have grown a little more.**" Her dark eyes flicked over to the Council members nearby, who looked both shocked and disgusted. "**I seem to have irritated the Council, though why they're here is beyond me. From what I remember most Council members prefer to issue orders rather than deliver them personally**."

"**They insisted on coming, once ONI revealed the mission. It…it is a scouting mission on a world we had long forgotten.**"

Laura noticed Arisaya seemed uncomfortable. "**Which world?**"

The young scientist hesitated a moment before replying, "**Stronghold**."


	19. Chapter 18: Twist of Fate Pt II

"Wlecome to McDonald's, how may I help you?" Ok, day job aside, new chapter is up! This is basically a continuation of Chapter 17, with a few more flashbacks and a brief cameo from a certain troublesome pair of twins. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Eighteen: Twist of Fate Pt. II

**June 25, 2558 1221 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

Laura stared at the young Forerunner scientist, her mind processing the name she'd just given. _Stronghold,_ she thought, _remember Stronghold. How did she know_?

"**Laura, are you well**?" Arisaya murmured.

"**Not at the moment, but it will pass in time. We have much to discuss, you and I**," she replied. Her dark gaze traveled to Arnyris, and she noted with amusement the way he hovered protectively nearby. _I wonder what he's up to_, she smiled inwardly.

"**Arnyris, child, come out into the light. No one plans on hurting you here—at least not that I know of**." She smiled. "**Besides, someone needs to babysit the politicians around here**."

"**Have you no respect for our Council members**?" Arnyris asked in shock. Laura snickered, an amused gleam lighting her eyes. For a moment she looked less like a battle-worn soldier and more like a civilian, and a happy one at that.

"**Council members have my respect, Arnyris**," she answered. "**Politicians, however, try my patience, and I doubt that these are the same Council members that Alaya so respected. Then again, Alaya was more adept at politicking than a run-down soldier.**"

"**And what do you know of Lady Alaya?**" the Jiralhanae council member snarled; Laura merely raised one eyebrow, completely unperturbed by the snarling alien. She remembered completely that the Brutes (to use the standard military term) from Alaya's time were completely different from the snarling savages she'd fought in the war.

"**Enough to know that your robe seams are sewn backwards**," she pointed out. Arisaya chuckled softly at the flippant remark, which was also quite true. The council member simply stared at her, and Laura added, "**I also remember that the Jiralhanae traditionally wore black and silver rather than silver and gray, the colors of the Sangheili. And that each race held two seats on the council, and that they were not in the habit of playing messenger.**"

"**How…**" The human councilman sputtered. Laura simply grinned.

"**I have my ways, and they're no secret. I'll show you to the quarters we've prepared for you, and then I'm afraid I must borrow young Arisaya for a little while. Dr. Halsey has some questions for her, and I for one would be interested in her opinion on some topics.**"

Still smiling, Laura led the way to VIP quarters that had been constructed for occasions like this. Outwardly she maintained a calm façade, but she was nervous about how some of her friends would react, particularly the Sangheili ones. Sure enough, a group of them saw the party and approached.

"Laura, you are well?" Aro 'Benamee greeted her; she smiled and stopped long enough to perform a half-bow with her hand over her heart, the Sangheili greeting.

"Well enough, in spite of being a babysitter, 'Benamee," she answered. "Forerunner dignitaries have arrived to discuss a mission, and I volunteered to escort them. Figured if I was nearby people would be more at ease with some of our…guests."

"I can understand," 'Benamee answered. "If you wish, I will spread the word among the rest of us. We will tolerate these guests, but do not expect more from us. Our memories are long."

"As are theirs, when it comes to things they know," she reminded her old friend. "These had no part in the war, and don't know what the rest of their race has done. Remember this, and remember that the war is more or less over." The two parted ways, and Laura continued the journey without incident. The small group arrived at the VIP quarters, a building which served as both barracks and conference area. Laura had done her best using borrowed memories to set things up as appropriately as possible, and from the looks of things the council members were pleasantly surprised.

"**We're more of a military base than anything, but we've done the best we could,**" she explained. "**Unfortunately the lavatory is geared more for human anatomy than anything else, as are most of the furnishings.**"

"**You have done well in a short time,**" the San 'Shyuum spoke; it was the first thing he'd said since his arrival. Laura smiled lightly, but her face grew serious quickly.

"**I should warn you, before you find out the hard way. We, meaning the people of my world, just finished a devastating war with others of your kind. The story is long, bloody, and has left terrible scars—scars that still run rampant today.**" She paused a moment, trying to gather the right words. "**I made sure the full history was available to you, if you wished to see it for yourselves, but I thought you should know first that things might be hostile for you. Needless to say, I wouldn't advise walking around unescorted.**"

"**Are you saying that your people would blame us for the war?**" the Jiralhanae growled.

"**I'm saying that the war involved all the races of the old Empire, and that the damage will take time to heal.**" To illustrate her point, Laura unzipped the top of her blacksuit and pulled it down to her waist, revealing a sports bra and a matched pair of jagged, ugly pink scars in her sides. "**I received these at the hands of other Jiralhanae during the war, at the orders of a San 'Shyuum, on a ship captained by a Sangheili and populated by Unggoy, Kig-Yar, and others from the old races. When the rings were fired, we grew from seeds planted and forgot all we had been—and there were those who turned that to their advantage. We were driven nearly to extinction, and the wounds are slow to heal.**"

Laura pulled her blacksuit back together, and indicated a holotank in the room. "**This will show you whatever you need to see, provided you've been cleared to see it. ONI will be by soon, and there is a conference area here for your use. Now if you will excuse me, I must steal the young scientist for a moment.**" Taking Arisaya's hand, she led the young girl out of the room, tugging her toward a nearby barracks.

"**Where are we going, Laura?**" she asked breathlessly; Laura was leading her at a pretty good clip.

"**Somewhere we can talk candidly, and where we can't be overheard. ONI has a tendency to bug any place I might be. And for the chat we need to have we'll need a lot of privacy.**" Having reached the barracks, she rapped twice on the door before opening it and ushering Arisaya inside. Looking around, she spotted a previously unobserved tail lurking nearby: Arnyris had followed them.

"**Shouldn't you be guarding the Council?**" she asked.

"**I wanted to be sure you intended no harm to her**," he answered.

Laura smiled knowingly. "**She will be safe with us, you need not fear for her.**" Moving closer, she placed one hand on the young warrior's shoulder. "**Your secret is safe with me, young one.**"

"**How did you know?**" Arnyris asked, shocked; he honestly didn't think he'd been that obvious.

"**I was in the same boat, once. Besides, I am a mother and a lover, I know what it feels like to be protective of those we care for. Does she know?**"

"**No, I have not told her. She would reject me, and I have nothing to offer her**."

"**Don't be so sure, young one. She is perfectly able to decide for herself, I think.**" With a final parting smile, Laura turned away and entered the barracks. Arisaya was already seated, studying the faces around her in mild amusement.

"I'd recommend using Standard rather than the Forerunner dialects," she opined. "Not everyone here is as fluent as you and I, and I'd prefer if everyone were on the same page."

"Of course," Arisaya answered, stumbling a little over the words. She still had a little difficulty with the language, but she was learning rapidly. "How may I help?"

"Laura has been having some…difficulties lately," Dr. Halsey began. "Difficulties that you may be able to help with."

"Alaya's memories?" Arisaya asked. "What has happened?"

"Alaya, I guess, has been sending out a mental distress call—that's the closest description I can come up with," Laura answered. "For about two months I've been going slowly and steadily insane, and a few nights ago was the worst episode yet." She then proceeded to explain what she'd been seeing, with help from Dr. Halsey and the other Spartans.

"I have never heard of something like this before, nowhere in our histories has something like this ever occurred," Alaya murmured in amazement.

"You've never had an incident like this before, either," Linda pointed out. The normally quiet Spartan had an amused look on her face. "How many times have you had to destroy a galaxy?"

"Linda!" Laura was shocked by what she considered a low blow. Arisaya merely smiled, a sad look on her face.

"We had no choice, the Flood were spreading too rapidly. We tried to save what we could before we fired the rings."

"I know, Arisaya," Laura smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "But putting that aside, Alaya's ghost is getting restless. I'm not entirely sure why she's contacting me, apart from the memories, but she needs something from me. And it has to do with Stronghold…or someone that was on Stronghold at some point."

"Someone on Stronghold?" Dr. Halsey asked. Laura winced; she'd never told them what she'd seen after she'd put the circlet on.

"Alaya…she was working on something when a Prophet came in the room, her friend Thaddeus. He had a transmission from a somewhere on Stronghold, an emergency broadcast. She recognized the woman sending the transmission, someone she knew…and loved." Even now she felt the sadness and worry she had experienced in the vision.

"A woman? Did Alaya have any female friends?" She wasn't sure who had said it; her mind was wrapped in a fog, and she felt distant, separated, detached.

"Two, maybe three: Lady Naryse and her younger sister Eilinn, who married her brother Marin. And a friend of her mother's who helped raise her."

"Who?" Arisaya asked.

"Myrnia," she whispered, and the world vanished.

_She had just reached her sixteenth year, and had retreated to her bedroom in tears. Her father had told her to enjoy the day as she liked, but her trip to the woods had been cut short by a group of youths who had sneered and torn her dress. That had been horrible enough, but they had dared to tell her "a nobody has no place in a general's woods," apparently not realizing who she was. She had slipped into her father's dwelling by a back way so he wouldn't see what had happened to her._

_"__**Alaya, child, where are you?**__" she heard a familiar voice, almost as beloved as her father's, or her dear departed mother's._

_"__**Alaya! My word, child, what happened?**__" The woman rushed to her bed and touched her forehead gently; the closest Alaya had ever felt to a mother's touch. Her father followed just behind her, a scowl growing on his face._

_"__**I…I went to the woods, or tried to,**__" she cried, trying to calm herself. Myrnia hugged her, offering comfort._

_"__**What happened, Alaya, my daughter?**__" her father asked._

_"__**Some…some boys…they told me I had no place on a general's property, wearing these clothes.**__"_

_"__**Apparently they did not realize who they insulted**__," her father scowled. "__**Would you recognize them if you saw them again, little one?**__" She nodded, but inside she dreaded the thought of seeing them again. The matter was taken out of her hands, however, when there was a knock at the entrance of her father's house. He went down to open it personally, Alaya and Myrnia following at a distance._

_"__**General Petrarch, I thought you should know you have trespassers on your lands,**__" a young man's voice greeted her. Alaya shivered, recognizing the ringleader of the boys who had accosted her._

_"__**Trespassers?**__" Petrarch asked, playing a deceptive card; Alaya saw her brother coming to stand beside him, fully dressed in his training uniform._

_"__**A commoner girl was wandering around on your land. We decided to do you a service and expelled her.**__" The boy's smug tone made her visibly ill. Myrnia put one hand on her shoulder to steady her._

_"__**A commoner girl?**__" Petrarch's tone was even as he signaled. Alaya and Myrnia moved forward, the latter keeping a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "__**Is this the one?**__"_

_The boys didn't answer. "__**Alaya, are these the boys that insulted you?**__" She nodded, tears prickling at her eyes. _Remember who you are_, she thought to herself._

_"__**Yes, Father,**__" she answered quietly. "__**They told me I had no business being on your land, wearing clothes above my station.**__" She gestured sadly to her dress, a gift from her father for the day._

_Petrarch motioned to unseen guards, who moved forward and grabbed the boys. The look on his face scared her, even though she knew it wasn't aimed at her. "__**You attacked and insulted my daughter, and claim to have done me a service? That was no service, to me or my beloved daughter. And by boasting of your 'service' you admitted your own guilt. Rest assured the High Council will hear of this, and until then you will receive fitting reward for your service.**__" The guards took the boys to a secluded room in the house, while Myrnia took Alaya back to her room._

_"__**Alaya, child, do not take this to heart. Young boys are foolish at this age, and in time they will grow to understand that there is no such thing as station in the Empire. They think that they are the elites of our race, simply because their families are well known. In time they will mature enough to realize the truth.**__"_

_"__**I do not blame them, Myrnia, but it is not something I can easily forget**__," she answered. "__**I doubt that they knew who I was, since I do not resemble my father.**__"_

_"__**You are your mother's child, little one**__," Myrnia hugged her. "__**In time you will be as well known as your father, I do not doubt this.**__"_

"Laura! Laura, wake up!" A slap to her face brought her back to reality, and a roomful of scared faces.

"Don't ever do that again!" Kelly bellowed; behind her Fred put a hand on her arm, trying to calm her. John stood over her, and she guessed he'd been the one to slap her.

"I'd prefer to not, believe me, " she muttered, holding one hand to her stinging cheek. "Help me up, please?"

John pulled her to her feet and she made her way to the lavatory. Pulling a washcloth, she ran the cold water until it was ice cold, soaked the washcloth, and wrung it out before holding it to her face. "Still got the knack for that, Chief," she quipped.

"How can you joke about this?" Kelly was still quite rattled—understandable, since this was probably the first time she'd seen Laura space out without the circlet.

"Because I'll go bonkers if I don't. Can't stop the flashbacks anyway, so I might as well deal with it." Laura frowned, thinking back to the memory she'd just experienced. Apparently, the woman called Myrnia had been an important part in Alaya's life, at least until Petrarch's death and falling in love with her brother's CO (which she still didn't understand how well that worked out, but let it be).

'_"__**The woman…the woman who sent this…she was an old friend, and a dear one**__."_'

"Holy shit!" Laura's exclamation caused several heads to snap around. "That woman, the one who sent the transmission from Stronghold—that was Myrnia! Alaya's friend, surrogate mom, however you want to call her--she was on Stronghold!"

"Possibly a coincidence?" Dr. Halsey asked.

"I'm inclined to doubt it. Myrnia was a scientist, just like Alaya. She sent the distress signal from Stronghold, and what does Alaya want me to remember?"

"Stronghold," John grumbled. "I agree, can't be coincidence."

"There's something on that planet she wants me to find, I'm convinced," Laura shook her head. "I just wish I knew what. That, and that I didn't have to go insane just to figure it out."

"You are not insane," Arisaya interrupted. "You can still reason out your problems, and approach them relatively calmly. I think that Alaya's spirit was desperate and did not realize the difficulties that lay in the contact. Now, I think she may understand and is backing down a little."

"I hope so," Laura muttered. "I've got too much going for me now to go insane." John grabbed her hand and held it, and Laura let herself relax a little. _This mission is going to decide a lot_, she thought.

A scuffling sound outside snapped her head up, and a series of small bangs made the entire room drop to the ground. Belatedly she recognized the sounds as firecrackers, not gunshots.

"Oh no!" she groaned. "I told those two not to play with those!" John watched her dart up and out the door, and moments later grinned at the sound of her yelling:

"Samuel Frederick Spartan! Kelly Linda Spartan! What have I told you about playing with firecrackers?"


	20. Chapter 19: Operation:Stronghold

Hey all! The moment you've all been (kinda?) waiting for--the mission! ok, that kinda stank as an intro, but I'm running into writer's block when it comes to these. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Nineteen: Operation Stronghold

**June 26, 2558 0915 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

Arisaya watched as the Council members moved around the conference room, ensuring that everything was to their liking. _They are also checking for listening devices, I do not doubt._

"**Everything is in readiness,**" the human member commented.

"**Good, they will be arriving in a little while,**" the San 'Shyuum nodded. From what Arisaya knew, he was the leading member of this small group. "**Arisaya, you are sure these people can be trusted?**"

"**Not all of them, but many of those we will meet today are. And even if they are not, Laura will ensure they do nothing.**"

"**Who is 'Laura'?**" the San 'Shyuum asked.

"**She is the one who looks like Lady Alaya, the one who remembers our race's past.**" Arisaya was prevented from saying more when the door opened. She recognized Dr. Halsey, Mendez, Fred, Linda, and Kelly, and just behind them was the one they called John. _The one who looks like Corin_, she mused. ONI officers and a man with a completely different uniform followed them, and within moments everyone was seated. Laura was nowhere to be seen.

"Arisaya, child, you are looking well," Dr. Halsey greeted her. "May I present General Mark West, commanding officer in charge of this base. Also ONI lieutenants Cynthia Anders and Matias Svensen." The two ONI officers nodded politely, and General West flashed her a smile.

"Pleased to…meet you?" Arisaya looked to Dr. Halsey, unsure if she'd gotten the phrase correct; the doctor nodded and she smiled in relief. "Our Councillors Pareus," she motioned to the Jiralhanae who nodded, "Edo 'Varunee," the Sangheili bowed with one hand on his chest, "Tiraeus," the San 'Shyuum spread his hands in greeting, "and Carus," the human bowed deeply. "We are glad you are willing to hear us."

"We understand you need our help with an upcoming mission," Mendez got straight to the point—or would have, if John hadn't suddenly stopped him and, without missing a beat, drove his elbow into the air behind him.

"OOF!" A slight shimmer in the air resolved itself into the familiar figure of Laura Morisson, now doubled over and gasping for air. "Nice…hit Chief," she wheezed. "How'd…how'd you know?"

"You snickered," John stated matter-of-factly. Laura glared at him, still coughing, but now able to brace herself with her hands on her knees. Arisaya chuckled softly—the whole scene lent a comic air to an otherwise serious discussion.

After a few moments, Laura was able to stand fully upright without coughing. "**We are honored that you wish to work with us.**" Arisaya didn't bother to inform her that the Council had had translators made in order to communicate with the rest of the planet. _She will find out, if she does not already know._

"Blade, this is a private debriefing: only the SPARTAN-IIs and appropriate authorized personnel are permitted here," Lieutenant Anders stated. Laura fixed her with a glare that Arisaya imagined few people could stand up to for long.

"And unless you and the rest of ONI Section Three have forgotten, I _am_ a SPARTAN-II," she snarled; it was easy to see the extent of the temper she tried hard to keep in check. "More to the point, I'm _the_ SPARTAN-II, the test case that made your precious project possible. I have as much right to be here as you do."

"She has a point," Dr. Halsey interposed. "And unless I miss my guess, we'll need her input and possibly her participation."

"Thanks for the support," Laura nodded in her direction. Leaning casually against the wall, she waited for things to commence.

"I do not know the particulars—such things belong to the Council to reveal," Arisaya began, "but I do know we are going to a planet in our ancient Empire, one we lost long ago: Stronghold."

Tiraeus rose and motioned to the young scientist; understanding the signal she backed down. The Council member spoke, gravelly tones speaking in halting standard, "Long ago this world was lost to the Empire, and we have only recently found records of it." He motioned to Arisaya who, having familiarized herself with the conference room in advance, used the holoprojector to display a series of runes. "Most of the records contained these glyphs. We do not know the exact wording, but we believe it to be a splinter language of a religious sect."

Laura snickered from her corner. "Nope, not even close." The Spartan moved forward, until she could almost touch the holographic runes. "**The information herein is of the utmost importance to the Empire, and may only be accessed by the High Council or by those they deem worthy,**" she read, and even Arisaya was stunned. _How could she read them_?

"This was a splinter, you were correct in that," Laura continued, still gazing intently at the runes. "It wasn't anything to do with religion: this is the language of the scientists. They didn't exactly trust the entire Empire, and developed their own series of letters to write their reports and records. Only the Council had the key to translate it—the Council, and anyone they approved to see things like this." Turning to face the shocked Elders (which she knew to be their title in Alaya's time), she asked, "How many times did this pop up in your records?"

"More times than we could count," Carus answered, still staring awestruck at her. "How…"

"It's enough that I can read them," Laura interrupted. "The how and the why are unimportant."

Tiraeus nodded slowly. "Keep your secrets then, for now. Can you read the rest of what you see?" With that, Arisaya revealed the rest of the text.

--------

Laura regarded the familiar symbols with a smile on her face; they were old friends, these symbols. _Alaya was quite proficient in this language_. Struggling to keep speaking standard, she read aloud: "We have made an extraordinary breakthrough with regards to the parasitic lifeform found on board the expeditionary ship _Imperial Glory_. It appears to have remarkable evolutionary capabilities, and when tested in controlled settings has successfully adapted to new and dangerous environments. This could easily become the basis for any number of medical and technological advances. We are enclosing all relevant data on the parasite, and await your next instructions. Stronghold stands ready.

"Stronghold…" she murmured, and blackness swam in to engulf her.

_"__**I do not see why **_**you**_** have to go!**__" An enraged young woman stormed about a bedroom, where an older woman was packing a small bag._

_"__**Alaya, child, we have been over this. I am one of the experts in my field, they need me there more than I am needed here,**__" she explained patiently._

_"__**Then turn them down, Myrnia! Tell them you will not go!**__"_

_"__**You expect me to defy the Council, Alaya?**__" Myrnia chuckled._

_"__**Of course not! How could I…you…we…**__" Alaya sputtered. The older woman smiled kindly, closing her bag._

_"__**Stronghold is not that far with a swift ship, child. It is not like I am going forever. And soon enough you know you would have regretted my staying.**__"_

_"__**No, never!**__" Alaya ran forward and hugged the older woman tightly. "__**I have already lost one mother, I would not lose you too.**__"_

_Myrnia smiled and hugged the young woman tenderly. "__**I am honored that you see me as such, little one. But I will see you again, I promise you**__."_

"Blade? BLADE?" Someone was shaking her roughly, and she found herself laying flat on the floor; Arisaya and Lieutenant Svensen were leaning over her.

"Ease off on the abuse, I'm alright," she muttered, waving them away. Sitting up slowly, she rubbed her temples, frowning. "This needs to stop, pronto."

"I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon," John grumbled.

"Thanks for the reminder, Captain Obvious," she snapped—lately she was becoming prone to sharp replies whenever the memories surfaced. "I'm well aware that I'm stuck with this for the long haul, no need to rub it in."

"Would someone care to explain what this is about?" Anders interrupted.

"Not particularly, no," Laura scowled, pushing herself to her feet. "Though I doubt you'll just let well enough alone, ONI can't help but meddle in other people's affairs."

"A disgruntled soldier's point of view is hardly the most reliable," Svensen began, but West cut him off before Laura even could.

"I hardly doubt that ONI's multiple attempts on SPARTAN-000's life counts as the viewpoint of a disgruntled soldier," he stated, scowling. "However, that is neither relevant to this discussion nor to anything that may or may not be happening to her now. What is relevant is the trigger for whatever caused her blackout."

"**Assasination attempts? Blackouts? Are you sure this is a wise course of action?**" Laura heard Pareus, the Jiralhanae elder, ask.

"**The assassinations are in my past, and the blackouts are Alaya's memories—though I refuse to tell ONI what I know**," she answered him, using their own language so the ONI lieutenants wouldn't understand. "**I do not trust them, nor have I ever, but the rest of the people here can be trusted. That I can promise you.**"

Laura's scowl deepened when she saw the ONI lieutenants glaring at her. "Blade, you are ordered to tell us what is going on here," Anders ordered.

"Order away, but you'll not here it from me," she shot back. "ONI isn't the only one who can keep secrets, and I'll keep mine a bit longer, thank you very much." Shoving her way forward, she exited the room. Behind her she heard West yelling:

"Lieutenant Anders, you've just cost us the best intelligence we had for this mission!"

--------

**June 26, 2558 1223 hours**

**Ryder Farms**

**North America**

John led the small group (consisting of Arisaya, Arnyris, Dr. Halsey, and his fellow SPARTAN-IIs) to a ranch on the outskirts of town.

"You sure Laura would be here?" Kelly asked.

"Lorienna said she might be," he replied. "There are only a few places off-base that she would be, and considering the state of mind she was in I think she'd be here. She told us that working with the Thoroughbreds helped her relax, remember?"

They passed between rows of large paddocks, where horses grazed peacefully and walked leisurely around the pasture; John admired the ripple of muscle beneath the glossy coats of the animals. Eventually they came to a different area of the ranch, where a figure in blue was working a horse on a pair of lines.

"There's our missing Spartan," Dr. Halsey murmured, watching as Laura easily turned the horse on the lines. She'd changed from her standard blacksuit into blue jeans and a blue T-shirt, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail rather than a braid, and her knives were absent from her waist. The black Thoroughbred galloped easily around her before slowing to a trot, then a walk.

"Looking good," an older woman called from the fence.

"He handles well," Laura agreed as she led the horse over. "You might get another winner outta him."

"Too soon to tell yet, but I wouldn't be surprised. How'd Cissy look today?"

"Ready to burst, like she has for the past few," Laura chuckled. "Hopefully all goes well. Oh, hi Chip," she suddenly said as a large black and tan dog trotted up and sat on her foot. Dropping down to one knee, she petted and rubbed the dog's ears, smiling as he tried to lick her face.

"I think he likes you," the older woman smiled.

"Most animals do, I've noticed," Laura smiled back. Her smile died as she turned her head and noticed the newcomers. "We have company."

"Chip, come!" Chip barked once and stood, trotting after his owner as she headed toward the newcomers; Laura stood and followed, easily catching up in a few strides.

"Welcome to Ryder Farms," she said. "I'm Karen Ryder, one of the owners."

"Dr. Catherine Halsey," Dr. Halsey replied. "We were just looking for Laura, and John figured she'd be here."

"He figured right, she comes here when she can," Mrs. Ryder nodded. "Though today she seemed rattled—any idea why?"

"Troubles on base," Dr. Halsey stated, not going any further than that.

"It's okay, Mrs. Ryder, no need for the third degree," Laura interrupted, smiling. "These are some of the few people I can trust on base. Prolly trying to make sure I didn't do anything stupid."

The older woman relaxed visibly. "Oh, then they're alright. Any friend of Laura's is welcome here. Just watch out for Chip and you'll be fine."

Laura waved goodbye and led the way off of the ranch, guessing that the group was collecting her for some reason."So how badly did I piss everyone off?" It wasn't exactly a question, but then again she already knew.

"Pretty thoroughly," John admitted, "but mostly the Forerunners were shocked. West had to do some explaining, which irritated the ONI lieutenants, and Arisaya had to explain to them why you 'blacked out' when you read that bit about Stronghold."

Laura paled, and Dr. Halsey continued where John had stopped. "She didn't use standard, she used her own language."

"Whew!" Laura passed one hand across her forehead—somewhat dramatic, but it conveyed the relief admirably. "There's one less thing to worry about."

"They're still unhappy about you being involved on the mission, but you're going with us," Linda smiled, and Kelly added, "Make sure your gear's packed."

"You guys know me…well, most of you do," Laura smiled. "I have a bag already packed and ready. Plus there's a few things I want to test out, and a mission is the best way to do it."

"We're going to be watching you closely, though," Mendez scowled. "If you start to snap, we'll be ready to deal with it."

"Noted." Laura nodded once, then grinned broadly. "No time to chat, gotta get ready, find a babysitter, et cetera. Oh, and tell Mom I'm going on a mission so she doesn't worry too much when I'm not around."

"She worries about you?" Kelly asked in shock.

"Always—you didn't know I was a rabblerouser?" The group—with the exception of Mendez—laughed and walked back to Camp Hayes.


	21. Chapter 20: Departure

Hey all! I know I promised a longer chapter, but once agian I got blocked (sorry). At any rate, I hope the chapter meets with approval--and feel free to press the magic button! :D And thanks to my reviewers for informing me of a very glaring error--which has since been fixed (I hope!).

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Twenty: Departure

**June 27, 2558 0438 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

Laura walked quietly through the dark alleys and paths of Camp Hayes; it was still dark, but her night-eyes were exceptional. _Small favors_, she thought as she made her way to the launch pad. Even though they didn't leave for the ships until 0500, she had made it a habit to wake up early and arrive early whenever possible—her father had had the same philosophy.

Her duffel bag clinked when she set it down on the landing pad, and Laura stretched her arms over her head, trying to keep herself awake. She'd packed a few test items, and one of them was currently strapped to her wrist in the guise of an ordinary wristwatch.

"You sure this'll work?" her own voice whispered.

"Maybe, maybe not—but if I'm right I'll need all the help I can get," Laura answered. "The base copy we made should keep an eye on things around here, right?"

"That was the easy part," Lorienna muttered, then hissed, "Someone's coming!"

Laura looked around to see all of the Spartans in full armor, Dr. Halsey, and the Forerunners coming from the general direction of the barracks. Smirking, she picked up her duffel and strode to meet them.

"Up bright and early, eh?" she greeted cheerfully—she'd already been awake for an hour finishing her packing.

"I'm surprised you're this chipper," Fred yawned. _He's still waking up, apparently._

"A necessity when you become a parent—you need to wake up quickly before the kids do, unless you want to wake up to an unusual breakfast." She'd learned that the hard way one morning when the twins had surprised her with breakfast in bed: half-cooked pancakes, runny scrambled eggs, and burnt toast.

"I doubt, though, you're as interested in my morning habits as you are my combat-readiness," Laura continued, steering the conversation in what she thought was the right direction.

"I see you're already packed," Dr. Halsey nodded to the duffel slung over one of her shoulders.

"As I said yesterday, I keep a duffel packed for just such occasions. All I needed to do was add a few extra things and I was set last night." _Mostly_, she thought, considering she'd had to wait to add Lorienna until the very last minute. "So which ship is lucky enough to carry us to our doom?"

"As if you didn't already know," John snickered. Laura smirked, catching the reference.

"Maybe I'm trying to make conversation while we wait," she shot back with a smile.

"Well, since we don't know where we're going, perhaps you could care to enlighten us?" Dr. Halsey asked, smiling.

"There's three ships: the _Apache_, _Petrarch's Glory_, and _Light of the Prophet_. _Apache's_ one of our frigates, _Prophet_ is a Covenant cruiser that was seized by the Sangheili—though I have no idea why they haven't renamed her."

"And _Petrarch's Glory_?" Kelly asked.

"A Forerunner dreadnaught," Laura answered. "Named after the famed general Petrarch of the old Empire, and I don't need to tell you that thing is the most powerful ship we have on our side. Even _Prophet_ is a toy in comparison."

"Notice that she conveniently forgot to mention that _Apache _is also captained by her younger brother," a familiar voice snarked from her wrist. Laura jumped, to a few amused looks, and glared at the "wristwatch".

"You really want to blow our cover?" she grumbled. Fortunately, the Forerunners seemed to be keeping their distance, for some reason or another.

"They already know about me—and they would've found out anyway," Lorienna pointed out. "I think they're capable of keeping a secret."

"You'd better hope so," Laura sighed, turning back to the group.

"Care to explain?" an amused John asked.

"AI support—kinda like you and Cortana were. Not quite as sophisticated as your setup, though, but it'll do the job."

"Thanks for the support," Lorienna muttered. "Nice to know I'm appreciated."

"If I didn't appreciate you, I wouldn't have given you those last few upgrades," Laura smiled. "At any rate, she'll be coming along to help out with cracking and deciphering some of the Forerunner glyphs we might come across. Arisaya and I managed to put together a lexicon for her a few days ago."

"Can't you read the glyphs?" Linda asked.

"Some, but she's faster—and if we run into any computer terminals she can pull data for us to look at after the fact. Plus it's nice to have someone to argue with."

The sound of engines put a halt to Laura's conversation: the Pelicans were perfectly on-time and heading right for the pad. As soon as they were down Laura jogged towards one and up the loading ramp, the other Spartans following at a more sedate pace. She was already strapped in and waiting when the others boarded.

"Thought you weren't that thrilled about this mission," Ash commented—he was the first of the IIIs to say anything all morning.

"No, but they don't need to know that," Laura smirked. "Plus, I prefer to be doing than sitting. Put me on the sidelines and I go crazy trying to find something to do."

"Trying to keep up with your kids isn't enough?" Kelly snickered.

"Didn't always have them," she reminded her. "Used to be just me, my family, the Mitchells, and Skeeter." She smiled to think about the dog, who had since grown out of his puppy stage but still had more energy than she did.

"Speaking of the kids…" John began. Laura nodded once, understanding.

"Mom and Angela are looking after them, and I have the feeling 'Benamee is planning something." She thought back to the previous evening, when her Sangheili friend had surprised her with a visit, and an offer:

_"'Benamee, I wasn't expecting you!" Laura made a hasty half-bow, and stepped back to allow her friend entry. The Sangheili had to stoop to fit, but he managed well otherwise._

_"I will be brief, my friend, since I know you have much to do. There is talk all over this base about the upcoming mission. We know you will be leaving with the others, the Demons."_

_"They're not demons, 'Benamee," she chuckled. "They, and I, are still humans, with the same genetic core as all the others. We simply have had our genes tampered with."_

_"Maybe, but you will still be leaving," 'Benamee rumbled. "You have made arrangements for the small ones, yes?"_

_"Sam and Kelly will be staying with my mother or my sister," Laura nodded. "They'll be alternating weeks, it's the only way they can keep up with those two."_

_"They are spirited," 'Benamee nodded, clicking his mandibles together in a thoughtful manner. "I have a proposal, my friend, if you are willing."_

_"A proposal?" Laura turned slowly to look at her friend, doubt plain on her features. While she doubted the Sangheili meant her children harm, she wondered why he would be concerned with the young rabble-rousers she'd birthed._

_"You know the Sangheili youth are trained from a young age," 'Benamee began. "Your young ones are about the age we would begin training our young."_

_"I hadn't thought of that, but yes," Laura nodded. "I'm not sure I follow, though…are you asking my permission to…to _train_ them?"_

_"Not nearly as much as our own young would be trained," he interrupted, raising a three-fingered hand. "Simple exercises, a few combat techniques, and some self-control," he finished with the hint of a chuckle—or the Sangheili equivalent of one._

_"I do try to keep them in line," Laura scowled._

_"That is not in doubt, my friend," 'Benamee replied, "but even you must admit that they are more spirited than they are in control. And knowing how you yourself tend to act, I can understand the reasons."_

_"You have a point," she smiled quietly. _They do take after me in that regard, and John too_, she thought. "But I still don't understand why you wish to train them."_

_"Partly to give them focus—as you yourself said, unless you are doing something you tend to 'go crazy'," 'Benameee reminded her. "This will help to keep them occupied and out of mischief. And, knowing the amount of trouble that follows you, this will help them learn to defend themselves from enemies."_

_"Like ONI," she nodded, a frown appearing on her face. "Is that why you're doing this?"_

_"Partly," the Sangheili nodded. "And partly as a favor to a friend."_

Laura smiled as she felt the acceleration of the Pelican lifting off, and felt her foot tapping in suppressed anticipation. _Finally, I get to do something!_

"Check that out," Mark whistled when the Pelican finally hit space. Laura unclipped her harness (a risky move, but she knew what she was doing) and pushed off to float near the window for a better look.

"Holy shit," she breathed. The _Apache_ was your standard UNSC frigate, one of the few that had survived the war, albeit with a severe beating. _Light of the Prophet_ was a Covenant cruiser: nothing she hadn't seen before, but still very impressive. Nothing, though, beat the Forerunner dreadnaught, _Petrarch's Glory_. The shape reminded her of a triangular pyramid (the exact geometrical name eluded her), and she didn't doubt that one-eighth of a single cannon's power could gut any ship the UNSC or even the Covenant could throw at it. The design was familiar, and she recalled that the Forerunner Empire had used mostly the same designs in their ships: this was the basic design for warships. Transports had a tendency to be more bulky and less maneuverable, but the warships looked as deadly and formidable as they actually were.

"You recognize the design?" Dr. Halsey asked.

"Yes," Laura murmured, floating away from the window and drifting aimlessly. "This design was already mainstreamed when Alaya was born. She wasn't too impressed by it, she thought it was too predictable." She snickered. "We're definitely alike in that respect: we prefer subtlety and cunning when it comes to a good fight, but plain speech and actions."

"Bit of a double standard there," the doctor pointed out.

"Nobody's perfect," she replied, moving so she spun on her head in the null-gravity. A playful mood took over for a few seconds, and she tuned circles and somersaults in the cramped dropship, making sure to keep away from the other passengers.

"You might want to sit back down, Blade," Tom commented. "Looks like we're headed for that dreadnaught."

"Noted." Bracing her feet against a bulkhead, she pushed off and shot back towards her seat. A few quick maneuvers and she was back in her seat securing her straps. "Gotta love zero-gees, so much fun," Laura grinned.

"Do you ever take a mission seriously?" Tom asked.

It was the wrong thing to say: Laura's face took on a very black look, and brown eyes glared from across the room. There was no doubt in anybody's mind that, had the younger Spartan been within striking distance, Laura would have come close to killing him.

"Don't ever say that again," she growled, her grip tightening on her harness until her knuckles went white. "Never say I don't take a mission seriously, don't ever even think I treat my missions as a joke. Don't _ever_ think that!"

"Laura…" John's voice held a warning tone, and she backed off, but the tension still hung in the air around them.

"He was out of line, you know," Lorienna's voice broke the silence. The AI was matter-of-fact as she spoke, possibly the only one unaffected by the exchange. "She takes every mission as seriously as her own breath—I'd say that gives her the right to whatever moments of levity she can snatch. He had no reason to hit below the belt like that."

"Threatening him was a bit much, though," Fred replied.

"Tit for tat, eye for eye, et cetera," Lorienna replied.

"We're close to docking, Lorienna," Laura interrupted, a quick glance darting to the window. "Better shut down for now."

"You got it." The AI fell silent, and Laura fiddled with her harness, both angered and uneasy. _He had no right_, she thought, but her anger was fading—the kid had no idea, really.

The Pelican touched down in what felt like a landing bay, and Laura quickly undid her harness: she was eager to get out and moving. _Mostly to explore the ship and all, but can you really blame me?_ A gauntleted hand on her arm halted her for a moment, and she turned to see John looking at her.

"You're okay?" It was more of a statement than a question, but she understood.

"Well enough," Laura replied, shrugging. "I don't feel the urge to beat some sense into the kid anymore, so I guess that's a good sign."

"That's not quite what I meant," he muttered, and Laura realized her mistake—he hadn't just been referring to Tom's idiocy.

"Hard to say. For the moment I'm okay, later on…well, I'll deal with that when the time comes." She shouldered her duffel bag and glanced at the entryway. "We need to go before they start wondering where we're at."

--------

**June 27, 2558 0520 hours**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**Sol System**

Laura glanced around the landing bay of the massive dreadnaught, trying hard to maintain a detached mask: she was quite impressed by some of the fighters in the bay, as well as how everything was detailed and stowed. _The UNSC could take a page or two out of this book_, she thought.

Aloud she said, "Not bad, all things considered." She wasn't expecting a reply, since the entire group had scattered the minute they'd disembarked: the Spartans to their temporary quarters, Dr. Halsey and the Forerunners to some unknown area, and she had stayed to check out the landing bay.

"Which from you is a compliment," a familiar voice deadpanned from across the room. She looked up in time to see her brother, Captain Matt Morisson, leaning against the bulkhead.

"Matt! I wasn't expecting to see you here! I assumed you'd be on the _Apache_ prepping for departure!" Laura moved forward and gripped her brother's hand in a firm (but gentle, for her part) handshake.

"Remember what Dad used to say about the word 'assume'," Matt chuckled. "All the captains and so forth are meeting here to decide on a game plan before we ship out. No pun intended, of course."

"Of course," Laura grinned. "So who all's in on this?"

"The Shipmaster of the _Light of the Prophet_, myself, the Forerunner captain and their High Council, you and the Spartans, Dr. Halsey, and some guy called Arbiter."

Laura snickered, trying to imagine the look on John's face when he saw his former compatriot. "This oughta be interesting. C'mon, Stick, lead the way."


	22. Chapter 21: Departure Pt II

I decided to do something a bit different with this chapter: knowing how Laura likes to know anything and everything she can, and taking into account her tendency to get a bit cocky, what if it were to backfire on her? Have fun!

Disclaimer:I don't own Halo.

Chapter Twenty-One: Departure Pt. II

**June 27, 2558 0525 hours**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**Sol System**

Laura and her brother entered the meeting room to find a war zone. There was shouting in various languages (which she couldn't sort out because of the sheer magnitude of voices), ugly looks, and it appeared to her eyes that things were ready to deteriorate to violence.

Kelly and John saw her and motioned her with one hand; she lightly tugged Matt's sleeve and they carefully made their way over.

"What the hell happened?" she muttered close to their ears.

"Near as we can figure, they're arguing over who's commanding the operation," Kelly answered. "Dr. Halsey tried being a mediator, but they're ignoring her."

"Then it's time to interrupt." Jumping up on a chair, Laura whistled shrilly, a loud ugly noise that bordered on painful. Amazingly, the room went silent.

"You know, considering this mission is supposed to be a cooperative effort, you all don't seem to be very cooperative," she said conversationally. "I haven't even been in here two minutes and you're about to come to blows." Hopping off the chair (which was beginning to groan under her weight), she continued, "Now, what is so damn important that you're about to start a war over it?"

"Very diplomatic, Laura," her brother commented.

"There's a reason I'm a soldier—there's a lot less of this idiocy going around," Laura tossed her braid over her soldier and looked pointedly at each person or group in question. "Certainly there's a lot less yelling about who's in charge, and a lot more cooperation when it comes to planning. Frankly," she addressed the various captains and elders in the room, "I could care less about who leads or not—or who goes or not. I'm the only one who absolutely _has_ to get there, and I'm not above stealing a sip and going alone if I have to."

"Why?" one of the Elders asked; she recognized Cardus as the speaker, and nodded.

"You know part of it. Something is calling me there, and if I don't go things could get very ugly. I'm not afraid to go it alone, but I'd prefer to have backup along." Laura stopped and fixed each of them with her most intimidating glare. "Which isn't going to happen if we keep getting hung up on who's leading and who's following."

"And what do you propose?" Dr. Halsey asked.

"I'm not proposing anything. It's a soldier's job to fight, a politician's job to compromise. All I'm doing is making sure we don't have another war on our hands." With a smirk evident on her face, Laura sat down in the back of the room, waiting to see what would happen.

-------

**June 27, 2558 1305 hours**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**En Route to unknown system**

It had taken several hours, and Laura had tuned out most of the conversation, but it was decided that the Forerunner dreadnaught would be the lead ship, since it had the most advanced technology. However, key members from either ship were onboard to help decide on tactics and actions as needed—and a sophisticated relay system had been set up that would allow for communication in Slipspace and out of it. Laura didn't really care much about the technological aspect, as long as it worked.

Making her way to one of the holographic chambers on the ship, Laura pondered how she would spend the long voyage. _First things first: get some practice in_, she thought—while she could remember details about the Flood from Alaya's research, combat techniques the Forerunners used long ago in battle, and files she'd hacked from John's missions on Halo, there was nothing like good practical experience. _That's where those holochambers come in_, she grinned at the thought.

Finding an empty chamber, Laura slipped in and sealed it so she wouldn't be disturbed. Granted, it wouldn't take much to unlock the door, but at least people would know she was in there. Taking stock of the room, she spotted a computer terminal and grinned. _This is gonna be fun_. The computer could program any scenario she chose, and Laura even spotted a dataport. Pulling a chip from the "wristwatch" she was wearing, she slipped it into the port and waited.

"This is interesting," her voice chuckled. Laura smiled as the AI continued, "The systems here are nothing like Covenant or UNSC systems, much more roomy."

"Any chance that you could be caught?" Laura muttered.

"Oh, there's always a chance," Lorienna reminded her. "But I don't feel an AI yet, so I can buy a little time with some blocks. I'm assuming you didn't pull me to do some raiding, though."

"You assume correctly. I need you to set up a holographic simulation. You're faster at that than I am."

"Flood?"

"Flood. Combat forms, carrier forms, infection forms, anything you can dream up and put together. I need to get some practice in."

"You got it." Lorienna paused for a few milliseconds, setting up the simulation. Basing most of the simulation on ONI files from SPARTAN-117's missions, she threw in a multitude of everything she could find, even a few of the evolved forms he'd encountered in Africa. "What kind of setting do you want for this?"

"Forerunner architecture, since we're heading to Stronghold. I know I'll probably be using projectile weaponry down there, but for now give me energy swords—and some grenades probably wouldn't be a bad idea, either."

"Done…and done," Lorienna proclaimed as she finished the program. "Though I have to wonder why you're doing this—there's no record of Flood on the world that I can find."

"Thought I said I didn't want any hacking this time," Laura frowned.

"No, but I did anyway—and there's nothing to say the Flood were on Stronghold."

"There's nothing to say the Flood _weren't_ there, either," she pointed out. "Better safe than sorry, plus it'll be a good workout."

"True," the AI agreed. "At any rate, the program's done. Feel free to pull me whenever."

"Thanks." Laura pulled the AI from the port and loaded the custom program. Within minutes she was standing in a Forerunner room, filled with hidey-holes and potential ambushes. Nearby she spotted the energy swords, which she appropriated and switched on. And not a moment too soon, for the minute she armed herself the Flood came to greet her.

Infection forms swarmed up to meet her, and she pulled back to find a more defensible position. Combat forms leapt down from rafters, and she slashed and cut at the ones who got too close. A pod-like infection form flew at her face, and Laura just managed to kick it away just in time. One combat form took a swing at her: she ducked and sent one blade through the heart of it, killing the infection form she knew to be there. Managing to put some distance between her and the wave of killer pods, Laura tossed a grenade and watched with grim satisfaction at the exploding infection forms. _Impres—oh SHIT!_ She felt herself flying backwards at a hit from a tentacled arm, and grunted in pain as she hit a pillar. Picking herself up quickly, she charged, flipped, and slashed the head off her attacker. It didn't work, and she barely managed to sink her blade in the thing's chest cavity.

_Uh-oh_, she thought when she saw the approaching carriers, and there were even more combat forms behind her. A crazy idea surfaced and she grabbed it with both hands, literally: disabling her energy swords, she primed two grenades and ran towards the approaching horde of nightmares. _I've only got one shot at this_. Stopping just inches away from a carrier form, she tossed her grenades behind it and turned to run. Too late: she'd mistimed the carrier's explosion, and found herself flying straight for a metal column. _SHIT!!!!_ Twisting her body, she tried desperately to maneuver her feet and hands to take the impact. It worked…sort of: her hands and knees caught the blow, and she dropped to her back, nearly blinded by the intense pain. Caught by surprise, she cried out in pain, and stars bloomed in her vision; she couldn't even move for a long moment. Fortunately, the program was geared to stop when she did, and the nightmarish attackers halted.

"Dear God in heaven," she breathed, unable to move from the pain and exhaustion. _And this wasn't even one-sixteenth of what John faced!_ She now had a new appreciation for what her lover had gone through. As out of it as she was, she didn't even register the opening door, or when the holographic surroundings vanished.

"What on earth were you doing?" John asked, kneeling beside her while she lay there.

"Laugh…and you…die," Laura wheezed, finally getting her breathing to slow down. John chuckled, helping her sit up; she gasped in agony as her body protested.

"In the shape you're in, I doubt you'd be able to," he pointed out. "Now, what were you doing?"

"Getting a little practice in. And I have to admit—I never realized just how bad your situation was on Halo until now, and I was barely facing a fraction of what you were." Laura winced as she stood, and limped towards the door. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Well, the High Council was looking for you, and there was an intrusion alert in this area. Didn't take long for me to figure it out—you sent Lorienna to put a program together, didn't you?"

"She did the raiding on her own, _after_ I told her I just wanted a program put together." The pain in her knee was about blinding, but she didn't think anything was seriously wrong. _Might've just strained it or something_, she thought as she limped out into the hallway and stopped short: Dr. Halsey and Arisaya were waiting for her.

"We managed to convince the Forerunners that there's no need to worry, but I would…" Dr. Halsey began, but stopped when she saw the expression on Laura's face. The Spartan was in agony, and no matter how she tried to hide it the pain still broke through. "What happened?"

"Holo-sim," Laura grunted, trying to block out the pain. Her knee was killing her. "I wanted to get a little practice in, and Lorienna helped write a program. Guess…guess it got a little out of hand…" _The pain…damn…_she felt herself falling, her damaged knee unable to handle her weight.

John caught her before she hit the deck. "You're hurt." It wasn't a question, and since she'd been unable to stay on her feet she knew a denial would be impossible.

"I think…I think I might've done something to my knee." Laura tried to take a step and nearly crumpled again. "Scratch that, I'm pretty sure I did something to my knee."

Dr. Halsey had her medical scanner out in an instant, checking Laura's vital signs. "Pulled tendons, severed ligaments, fractured kneecap…what on earth were you fighting in there?"

"The Flood," she replied tonelessly. "I wanted some practical experience, and underestimated my opponent. Next time I'll be prepared."

"There won't be a next time, not for a while," the doctor scolded. "I'll have to do minor repair work, but you'll be taking it easy for a few days while this heals."

"The infirmary is this way, Doctor Hal-see," Arisaya interrupted. John wrapped one arm around Laura's waist to help her along, and the group headed towards the ship's infirmary.

"**Why the Flood?**" Arisaya asked softly. Laura turned and smiled at the young scientist.

"**I need to be prepared. There's no telling what's on that world, or why it was lost.**" She shook her head, loose strands of dark hair falling in her eyes. "**Is there anything in your histories that says when the Empire lost contact with Stronghold?**"

Arisaya shook her head. "**No one knows why Stronghold was lost except…**" she trailed off.

"**Let's not even go there**," Laura grimaced, though that may have been because Dr. Halsey had had John dump her on an exam table. "Ow," she muttered, switching back to standard.

"You did it to yourself," John pointed out.

"Not gonna argue with you there." Wincing as Dr. Halsey began the repair work on her knee, she asked. "So how'd your reunion with the Arbiter go?"

John grinned.

_"It has been a long time, Demon," the Arbiter rumbled._

_"Likewise, Arbiter," he nodded, extending his hand. The Sangheili took it and nodded. "You don't seem to have changed much."_

_"Nor you, though for a long time I thought you dead. You made it back safely to your world, then."_

_"Took awhile, but yeah. And a good thing, too." John smiled as he recalled the homecoming: no tickertape parade, but quite a few gifts._

_"Something is different about you, Demon," the Arbiter commented. "You seem…happier."_

_"A lot's changed since our last mission. Starting with the individual that interrupted the argument earlier."_

_The Arbiter clicked his mandibles in what John knew was the equivalent of a smile. "She is interesting. Is she your mate?"_

_"Not quite, but close enough." Lowering his voice, he murmured. "She gave me children."_

_Arbiter's eyes widened. "Children? Then she _is_ your mate!"_

_John chuckled. "Well, when you put it that way, yes. You'll have to meet her, she's full of surprises."_

"Hey, idiot," Laura's voice interrupted his musings with the good-natured insult. "You never answered my—OW!—my question," she finished weakly as Dr. Halsey put the finishing touches on her knee.

"It went well. He wants to meet you." John smirked at her questioning look. "For some reason he thinks you're my mate."

"They have interesting ideas about marriage and families," Laura nodded. She hissed as the last ligament was repaired.

"Almost done, Laura," Dr. Halsey commented. A few pulses with a laser-scalpel and her knee looked as good as new, except for a few scars. "Now remember, no strenuous activity for a few days."

"Define 'strenuous,'" Laura snickered, swinging her feet over the side of the exam table—and wincing at the flash of pain.

"You can walk, but that's about all you can do. The re-fused tendons and so forth need to strengthen, and you need time to recuperate." Dr. Halsey shook her head. "Though I daresay you'll try to overdo it again. Typical Spartan behavior."

"You act like you're surprised," she pointed out. "Having had to deal with him alone would be difficult. Oh, wait, you've already done that." Laura grinned. "He told me about _Ascendent Justice_."

"No I didn't," John argued. "You hacked ONI's mainframe to find that."

"Guilty."

--------

"I heard you ran into a little trouble."

Laura paused in her unpacking to glance at Captain Morisson in the doorway. "Only a little?"

"With you, a little is a lot." Matt walked in and plopped down on her bed. "Think this'll hold you?"

"Not if you're sitting on it. Don't you have your own bed?"

"Yeah, but it's on the _Apache_." Propping his hands behind his head, he regarded his older sister with concern. "You'll be okay here, right?"

"Whether I am or not, I have to be here. They'll need the intel I have, you know that." Laura sat down next to her brother, raking one hand through the remains of her braided hair. "Believe me, I'd prefer to not have any visions or flashbacks or whatever they are."

"That's why I'm worried," Matt pointed out. "What happens if these stop being just flashbacks? And what happens if you have one and you're in the middle of something? You need someone to look after you."

"That's why John and the other Spartans are here, Stick. They'll keep me on the straight path."

"You may not be able to rely on them, though."

"I know," Laura sighed. "But the call's not mine to make, not yet. If they tell me to stay, I have to stay. Don't exactly have a choice there."

"True." Matt got up and placed one hand on her shoulder. "Promise you'll get a hold of me if you need to, okay?"

"I'll try." Lightly hugging him, Laura smiled. "Behave yourself, Matt."

"Only if you do." With a final smile, Matt Morisson exited the room. He'd be heading back to the _Apache_ from there. _Take care of yourself, Stick_, she thought. Turning back to her packing, Laura stowed everything but her weapons and gadgets, which she hid under the bunk. _Never know when I'll need them_.

A knock sounded on her door, and she looked around to make sure everything was set. "Come in."

John stuck his head through the door. "Feel up to some food?"

"Hell yeah." Laura headed for the door, and John looked at her curiously. "How's the knee?"

"Sore, but I'll heal. Hopefully soon, or I'll be out of shape by the time we get there."

John smirked. "You, out of shape? I doubt that."

"Shut up." Laura playfully swung a punch at his head, and the two went in search of the mess hall.


	23. Chapter 22: Approaching Doom

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Approaching Doom

**June 30, 2558 1121 hours**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**En Route to unknown system**

Laura's knee had recovered admirably, and she was itching to have another go at the Flood holo-simulation. _I'll be more careful this time,_ she thought as she walked to the holographic chambers. While the Flood numbers and types would be unchanged, she planned on programming in the ordinance she'd be carrying on the planet: MA5B assault rifle, a shitload of ammunition, and plasma grenades. _Plasma grenades are best, especially when it comes to carrier forms._ Still running through potential scenarios and modifications in her head, Laura almost missed the young Forerunner waiting for her in the holo-room.

"**Arnyris! I almost ran you over, kid,**" she chuckled softly, stopping herself just in time.

"**Kid?**" the young human scowled. "**I am nearly twenty-five cycles…**"

"**And I call everyone kid, little one. Never mind that I am close to fifty cycles,**" Laura smiled at Arnyris' shocked look—she certainly didn't look her age. "**I didn't expect to see you here, young one.**"

"**The others thought you might come here. I offered to watch out for you in the holographic chambers—they told me of your injury.**" Arnyris hesitated and lowered his voice. "**I also need advice on a delicate matter.**"

"**Not sure how much help I can be, but I'll try,**" Laura answered, shooing him into the room. Deciding he'd fight better when he'd gotten everything off his chest, she went to the terminal and quickly built a program. Within minutes she and the young Forerunner warrior were standing on a rocky ledge over a river. A small rapid below them thundered, and birds sang in trees along the banks. It was here that Laura had come as a child to think, and she couldn't think of a better setting to help the young man through his problems.

"**Pretty, isn't it? I used to think my problems through here, when I was younger than you are now.**" Laura dropped easily and gracefully onto the rock, taking a seat and letting her legs dangle.

"**I hardly think you were one to have problems,**" Arnyris mused.

"**More than you'd think, young one. Now, what's on your mind?**"

Arnyris hesitated, unsure where to begin. Laura noticed this and chuckled. "**It's about Arisaya, isn't it?**"

"**Yes,**" he agreed quietly. "**I…I wish to court her.**"

"**Then why don't you? There is nothing to stop her, or you, from courting and wedding each other in time, is there?**"

"**In the laws, no. But Arisaya…I do not know if she returns my feelings.**"

"**Does she know?**" Laura asked gently. Arnyris looked down, watching the river flow by, and shook his head. "**Why?**"

"**We grew up together, and when I was younger I was cruel, teasing her for her interests in the sciences, telling her she would never be bound to anyone, that no one would want her. And now…**" the boy paused, and Laura could see this was painful for him to admit. "**I felt myself being drawn to her long ago, but I kept up with the insults. It seemed foolish to suddenly change my ways, and I fear now I am too late.**"

A small smile formed on Laura's face, and she reached over, putting one hand on Arnyris' shoulder. "**It's never too late, young one. Certainly Corin didn't think that of Alaya, anymore than John did of me.**"

"**I do not understand,**" Arnyris muttered. Laura nodded and began to explain.

"**I was on my guard from the minute the Spartans appeared in my home, convinced that ONI had sent them to kill me. And even when I fell in love with John, I kept him away—ONI used the ones I loved against me, and I refused to let him become one of their pawns. It backfired, though, and for the longest time I thought he hated me. Alaya was in a similar situation: she began by hating Corin for his arrogance—though in fairness he felt contempt for the scientists of his day. Even when he and Alaya realized their feelings for each other, she kept them apart because of a promise she'd made to her dying father: a promise she'd taken completely out of context.**"

"**The promise to protect her brother Marin**," Arnyris nodded, understanding.

"**Yes. But even then, Corin waited for her, and never stopped loving her, anymore than John stopped loving me.**" Laura smiled, thinking of all the times she and John had argued, all the fistfights, and the shared nights.

"**Which one is John?**" Arnyris asked. Laura grinned and replied, "**Guess. You'll figure it out, I think.**" Getting up and stretching, she walked along the rock ridge to where she knew the computer terminal would be. The river vanished with the touch of a button, and was replaced with a Forerunner hall. Laura programmed a few additional alterations, and within minutes there were assault rifles, grenades, a pair of energy swords, and even a few stray Sentinels.

"**Ready when you are, young one,**" Laura called; Arnyris nodded and grabbed one of the assault rifles and several grenades. Laura grabbed the energy swords and strapped them to her belt, scooped up as many grenades as she could, and hefted another rifle.

"Didn't think you'd be doing this without us, did you?" Fred's voice broke in behind her; moments later he and the other Spartans had appropriated what was left of the assault rifles and grenades.

"Is everybody babysitting me all of a sudden?" Laura groused, but her eyes were twinkling.

"Someone needs to make sure you don't kill yourself before the mission," Linda smiled.

"Besides, we all could use the practice," Mark, one of the younger S-IIIs pointed out. "Only one with any experience—besides you and your botched holo-sim—is the Master Chief."

"You would bring that up," Laura smirked. "Alright, fine, but I'll need to key in a few extra enemies. Gimme a few seconds—and Linda?" Her smirk turned into a full-fledged grin as she winked at the other Spartan. "Find cover."

--------

The MA5B rattled in her hands as Laura mowed down yet another combat form. _They just keep coming!_ The clip ran out and she found herself faced with a flood of infection forms.

"Fire in the hole!" she yelled, throwing a grenade. Between the initial explosion and the shrapnel, she wiped out most of the pod-people (as she jokingly thought of them). She fumbled for a new clip, but she barely got it in when a combat for leaped at her; the clip may have been in, but she hadn't gotten to cock the rifle. _SHIT! SHITSHITSHIT!!!!_ Swinging the rifle butt toward the ugly thing, Laura managed to knock it back long enough for Ash to pump it full of lead.

"**Aim for the chests!**" she called; she was so into the situation that she didn't realize she was speaking in the Forerunner tongue. "**And do not let the infectors near the corpses, destroy them first!**" The combat forms were swarming in close, too close for the battle rifle; Laura ran back as far as she could and tossed her rifle, exchanging it for 'her' energy swords. _Take this,_ she thought grimly as she ignited the blades.

It wasn't long before she forgot herself—which was actually a pretty common occurrence. As she'd explained it to Dr. Halsey months ago: "Once I start swinging and find a rhythm, that's it. I lose myself in the patterns and the dances, to the point where I only stop when the music does. That's part of the reason I practice with the music: so I can find the right rhythms and then fall into them later on. The downside is that it might take a lot to bring me back."

Slashing, dodging, blocking, slicing—Laura was a whirlwind of death. Patterns came as naturally as breathing, and she moved with fluidity from foe to foe. Before long she was clearing the south end of the room by herself, with some assistance from Linda, and had slipped into a new, more complicated series of maneuvers: Forerunner stances.

_"Shift your weight, little one, and stay on your toes. You are a dancer, Alaya, and combat is your dance. Never let your feet fall flat, never stay in one place for long. Your body is as much weapon as tool, use it."_

Bending backwards, Laura swung one leg out and shifted quickly, keeping her weight balanced as she spun around to a new target and buried one blade in its chest. Never stopping, she whirled again and dropped into a split, sending her sword straight up into a combat form. Then her leg snapped around and she spun to her feet, dancing her way to a new target. The new patterns called her, wrapped around her, and pulled her in.

John noticed the room was rapidly draining of Flood, and what was left was concentrated in the southern end. A rapid glance quickly turned to an astonished stare: Laura was _dancing_ with the Flood. The energy swords were stabbing and swinging, and her body was bending and twisting with more grace and precision than he'd seen before. The Spartan twirled, raised a leg and hooked her ankle on a combat form's neck, then somehow used it as leverage to leap into the air while simultaneously skewering its chest—John was watching and still had no idea how she managed it. Laura pirouetted gracefully away from a carrier form as it began to inflate, and slid her blades home in two combat forms right as it blew: she used the explosion to propel herself into a combat form blades-first.

"Suppression fire!" Fred yelled: the carrier form had spewed more infection forms, and there were still several of those roaming around already. John and the other Spartans unleashed a barrage of bullets, and next to him Arnyris unleashed beams of destruction with a fallen Sentinel's beam weapon. Before long the Flood had been decimated and the holographic simulation was over. Laura stood and brushed back a few strands of dark hair that had come out of her braid, staring at the group with a puzzled expression. The way she was looking at them actually scared John, as hard as that may be to believe—her normally fiery and expressive dark eyes were distant, as if she wasn't really there in the room, and something about her entire demeanor was _way_ off.

"**Captain, why do you stare at me? Am I not entitled to some exercise as well as you?**" John's translation implant, complete with the Forerunner lexicon Laura and Arisaya had put together, translated the words into his worst fear: this wasn't Laura Morisson standing in front of them.

"Laura…" he whispered, trying to reach the Spartan. Laura cocked her head, a questioning look on her face.

"**Laura? Who is Laura?**" she asked. Before anyone could do or say anything more, her hands went to her head and she cried out in pain. Laura dropped to her knees, clutching her head in her hands and rocking back and forth; John took a few hesitant steps forward, unsure how to handle this. When the Spartan made no move, he placed a hand on her shoulder. She lifted her head, and John saw immediately that it was Laura and not Alaya that looked back at him.

"It's…it's okay," she whispered, looking a bit shell shocked. Confusion and worry played across her face, but she was trying to stay calm, or at least look like she was. "I'm fine now, I think."

"What just happened here?" Ash asked.

"I think Alaya took control," Laura answered, her voice a bit higher than usual. "The last thing I remember before I got my head back was fighting the Flood. I shifted into some new close-combat patterns, and after that…everything's a blank."

"You were using Forerunner stances," Arnyris murmured in amazement. "I have never seen anyone move as smoothly as you did now."

"It was definitely something else," Linda added as she dropped down from a column and jogged over. "You'll have to teach us those maneuvers."

"I would, and gladly," Laura began, "except for one slight problem—I don't even remember what I did."

--------

**July 1, 2558 0000 hours**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**En route to unknown system**

Laura lay awake in her bunk, watching the blue-black fields of Slipspace streaking by, unable and afraid to sleep. _Even if I wanted to, I couldn't rest now_. Her episode in the holo-sim early that day had her worried—this was the first time she had actually lost her own body and mind to Alaya's memories. And what happened once could easily happen again; oddly enough, she considered that whole prospect to be even scarier than the nightmare that was the Flood.

"I looked into the darkness/And could not turn away," she chanted softly, her words wrapping around her. "For it was my face I saw/Though in dark, not in day." The words were from some forgotten Forerunner poem, one that Alaya had enjoyed—and for her part, Laura understood. The poem accurately reflected their inability to change what they saw as their fates: Alaya had believed herself trapped by her oath, and Laura was trapped by her augmentations, by what she had been created to be. _No path out for me,_ she thought grimly. _Even if ONI let me go, I can't exactly fit in to normal society_.

"_**I am sorry I did what I did to you, little one**_," a voice whispered in her head. Laura's head snapped up in surprise, almost bouncing off the bulkhead (hey, not everyone can be coordinated 24/7).

"**Alaya?**" she whispered. "**What…how…?**" This was a definite first: her previous encounters with Alaya's memories had been solely flashbacks, dreams and unusual skills. To suddenly hear a disembodied voice in her head was something she could easily have gone without.

"_**You are coming closer to a Forerunner world, little one, a world that I frequented often."**_

"**So?** **I've been on Forerunner worlds before without a problem. Why would this happen now?**"

_**"I am not entirely sure myself—contrary to many of your beliefs, death does not answer any questions. All I can say is that I am growing stronger the closer we come to this world. In time I may even be able to take form.**_" The voice sounded regretful, almost human—which it might have been if its owner were still alive. "_**My strength grows while yours is weakened, and for that I am sorry.**_"

"**Sorry if I don't take you at your word**," Laura grumbled.

"_**I cannot blame you, and believe me when I say it is hard to not have a body. But I will not take what was never mine, I swear it.**_" Alaya's voice in her head was sad. "_**I did not mean to take over, but the battle, the thrill, the dance…I could not resist the pull**_."

"**I have a similar problem once in a while, Alaya. But what happens if this costs me my life?**"

"_**Were I to take your place in a battle, I would not fail you easily. And there may be times when you shall need my help—I know Stronghold well.**_"

"**We'll see when we get there,**" Laura muttered, laying back down.

"_**We are there**_," Alaya's voice murmured as it faded. She felt the deceleration beneath her feet, an indicator that they were dropping out of Slipspace, and sat up once again. Outside of her window a planet held her gaze: green and blue swirled in a perfect sphere, an almost exact copy of Earth.

"Stronghold," Laura whispered, a sense of foreboding growing at the back of her mind.


	24. Chapter 23: Stronghold

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Stronghold

**July 1, 2558 0314 hours**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**Unknown System**

The ship had been moving steadily in system when it was hit.

Laura felt the dreadnaught lurch from what felt like a surprise attack, and had she not been up and getting dressed it would easily have rolled her out of her bed. As it was, she almost landed on the deck. _Damn, what the hell's going on?_

"Lorienna, what's happening, can you tell?" she called, grabbing boots, a brush, an elastic band.

"Obviously we're under attack," her friend retorted. "I can't say who's dumb enough to attack a dreadnaught, though—since I'm not in the system I can't see anything."

"Swell." Laura grabbed a pair of workout shorts—the tight black material came to mid-thigh and clung like a second skin—and yanked them over her underwear. "Any idea where the Spartans are?"

"They're in the briefing room down the hall." Grabbing the "wristwatch" which was Lorienna's current home, she slapped it on her wrist, grabbed the boots and hair gear, and sprinted down the hall.

--------

The ship shuddered as they took a second hit, and the group of Spartans had to grab on to something unless they felt like being jostled around. Kelly managed to steady Dr. Halsey with one hand.

"What the hell?" John yelled. "Who's shooting at us?"

The shipwide alarms blared, along with an unknown voice yelling alerts. Translation software whispered, "**Unknown attack ships inbound. All crew to battle stations.**"

"That's all well and good," Fred started in, "but what are we supposed to do? And where's…?"

A woman in a slightly disheveled condition rocketed in the room, bouncing off a wall and ricocheting into a table, cursing as she went.

"…Laura," Fred finished, studying the figure. Dark hair tumbled and tangled down to her waist, a brush was gripped in between her teeth, boots dangled from her hand, and she was definitely _not_ in uniform, unless you counted shorts and a sports bra as a uniform. The only other thing they saw was the wristwatch which held her AI companion and friend.

"Say a word and you die," she muttered around the brush in her mouth as she plopped into a chair and tugged a boot onto a bare foot.

"Not exactly regulation, though," John ribbed—he knew he was the only one who had the remotest chance of getting away with it.

"Would you rather I'd come in butt naked? It was bad enough that I got knocked to the deck when we got hit. Be glad I took the time to put something on." Shooting glares around the room, Laura spit the brush out and began yanking it through the tangled brown waves.

"Watching you is giving me a headache," Kelly commented.

"Then don't…fucking…_look_," she grunted when she hit a particularly large tangle. "Now what the hell is going on here? Thought…_ughn_…we'd get to Stronghold without trouble."

"That was before we got attacked," Dr. Halsey moved over and took the brush out of Laura's hands. "Let me help while they bring you up to speed."

"Um…yeah...thanks," she replied, fiddling with an elastic band around her wrist. "So can I see what's going on outside? Thought there wasn't supposed to be anyone near Stronghold."

"We'll know more once we can see what's going on," Tom pointed out. "Whoever's in charge hasn't seen fit to tell us anything."

"I'll take care of that, if you'll let me," her wristwatch piped up. Laura nodded awkwardly—since Dr. Halsey was still working with her hair—and unstrapped the watch, handing it to John. The Spartan pulled out the data chip and slid it into a computer data port that was nearby, and within minutes Lorienna had an outside view of the action.

"Looks like the Covenant," Fred pointed at the display screen, where three Brute ships were closing on their position. "How the hell did they get here?"

"Those aren't Covenant." Laura pulled forward, her hair sliding out of Dr. Halsey's hands as she scrutinized the screen. "Look at the attack patterns, the lack of evasion tactics. Not even Brutes are this stupid. This is something else…" Her voice trailed off and her face took on a vacant expression.

"She okay?" Mark asked as he passed a hand in front of Laura's eyes—an activity that normally would've met with some sort of response, but this time went seemingly unnoticed.

"Give her a minute, she'll come back," John replied, watching in case she slipped too far away. _Forerunner memories, gotta be,_ he thought—it was the only thing that could make her go elsewhere like that.

"Myrnia," Laura whispered finally, then shot out of her seat as if her shorts had caught fire. She even scrambled across the table to get to the ship's intercom—everyone in the room was forced to hold back a chuckle as she tumbled off the table, landed in a tangle on the deck, and scrambled up to punch the button on the intercom.

"**Captain, do not let those ships come close! They are loaded with Flood!**"

"Laura, what—" She didn't let Fred finish before she cut in.

"Stronghold was a Forerunner science lab, they were researching biological materials there. It was also one of the first worlds to fall in the Forerunner Empire." Glancing meaningfully at John and Dr. Halsey, she continued, "One of the first worlds to fall to the Flood."

"Then those ships…" Dr. Halsey began, her face paling.

"Are loaded with Flood forms," Laura finished. "Those damn Brutes probably got there first on a lucky shot, went looting for old Forerunner tech, and let the Flood loose. And if they've infected the ships, then it's a fairly safe bet they're gonna be all over Stronghold." She raked one hand through her dark hair. "All over Stronghold, right where I need to go."

"We're going with you…" Linda began.

"No, you're not, not when there's nothing but Flood on that world." Laura stood up, long hair reaching down to her waist; in spite of the lack of proper uniform there was no mistaking that she was a deadly warrior. "If I don't go, I'm dead anyway—my mental state will only keep deteriorating. I have no real choice in the matter. But there's no way in hell I'm dragging any one of you down there, not when there's death at every step."

"Yeah, and we all know what happens when you go against the Flood on your own," Fred reminded her with a pointed gesture at her knee; the scars were still visible from Dr. Halsey's repair job. "You'd be dead in seconds."

"We're going with you, Laura—get used to it." John placed one hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. "Besides, you need someone to keep you grounded."

The fight dimmed out of her brown eyes as she remembered her encounter with Alaya's ghost three hours earlier. "All right, but I'll need to lead us when we go down there. John can handle the orders and combat, but I need to lead us everywhere we go. I'm the only one who knows the layout down there."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dr. Halsey asked quietly.

"_**I understand your fears, but I promise you they are unfounded**_," Alaya's voice reappeared in her head. "_**I will lead you, and if I must I will protect you.**_"

"Not like I have a choice, doc," Laura reminded her. "I have to do this."

--------

"No, I cannot allow anyone else to come with me**,**" Laura argued over the comm. On the other end was the Forerunner High Council, the shipmaster of the _Light of the Prophet_, and her brother on the _Apache_.

"And you really think the Spartans are going to be enough backup?" Matt asked.

"It's not a question of the amount of backup, but a question of how many people I want to risk. Believe me, if I had my way I'd go alone and not risk anyone else but me."

"How?" the Sangheili shipmaster asked. "No one can stand against the Flood alone."

"I have no clue, but since the Spartans are insistent on tagging along it's a moot point," she pointed out. "But I'd feel better if fewer people were at risk."

"Do you even know where you are going?" one of the High Council asked; by the sound of the voice it was one of the Jiralhanae.

"Yes, actually. I know exactly where I'll be going."

--------

Laura met up with them in the landing bay, armed with an MA5B assault rifle, dual submachine guns (a good idea considering the Flood's preference for swarming), and several grenades. Lorienna was present on her wrist and she had on one of her modified blacksuits; long ago she'd modified several of them with additional flexible joints in key spots, and had compensated for her lack of protection with a portable shield generator that she'd finally perfected.

"We good to go?" she asked, checking once again to make sure her rifle was in good shape.

"Almost. The High Council's on it's way down." John looked over her gear, and she could tell from the slump of his armored shoulders that he was concerned. "I'd feel a lot better if you were wearing armor."

"I feel better with this, Chief," Laura pointed out, using his rank to remind him where they were; right now they were teammates, not lovers. "This is what I know, and there wouldn't have been enough time for me to readjust. 'Sides, if I'm right we'll have bigger things to worry about."

Their conversation was cut short by the appearance of the Forerunner High Council, along with Arisaya and Arnyris. Laura noticed with amusement that the young warrior was hovering protectively near the scientist, and she was certainly not sending him away. _Then again, she may not be able to say anything in front of the Council_, she thought. Still, it was nice to see Arnyris was trying.

"**Laura,**" Arisaya greeted her, handing her an unusual headset. Laura recognized it as a camera of sorts. It basically hooked over a person's ear, with the camera fitting over one eye, a mouthpiece, and a portable power pack. "**This will allow us to see what you see.**"

"**In lieu of actually going down to the planet yourself?**" Laura smiled her understanding. "**I'll do what I can to keep you informed.**"

"_**That girl…she looks like me**_," Alaya's voice whispered.

_She's your descendent, Alaya_, she thought in amusement. Placing one hand on her shoulder, Laura nodded farewell and clipped the headset on her head—the equipment was oddly familiar, but considering it was Forerunner tech Laura wasn't too surprised. Turning her head, she headed onto the Pelican and strapped in.

"We online?" she murmured.

"Yeah, Laura, we hear you," an unexpected voice popped in—Laura's head snapped up in shock at her younger brother's voice.

"Matt?!"

"Yep," Matt Morisson confirmed, a grin evident in his voice. "Every one of us is online to this headset—we all get to see what you see."

"Joy. Anything you can tell us about what's going on outside?"

The Sangheili shipmaster's voice broke in, "The Brute ships have been driven off or destroyed, and we are sending one of our own to meet you on the planet. The Arbiter has requested to accompany you."

"Got it. I'll let the others know…"

"No need, Laura," Matt snickered. "This is basically the command frequency—they can hear every word we say."

"Matt, I am going to kick your ass," she muttered, but without heat; she was just irritated at being the butt of a joke.

"Promises, promises," he returned before signing off. Laura shook her head, a small smile on her face, but underneath she was nervous beyond belief.

"You're quiet," Ash noticed after half of the ten-minute ride to the planet passed in silence.

"Yeah, I know," she replied. "Real out of character for me, isn't it?"

"Extremely," Fred snickered. "More often than not you're spouting a blue-streak over something, usually involving ONI."

"Especially involving ONI," John pointed out. "But you're not even saying anything—what gives?"

Laura shook her head once, the signal that she didn't want to discuss it. "If we survive this, I'll explain later. Promise."

"We're gonna hold you to that," Linda promised. Laura nodded, but her features were tight. Even she could feel the tension.

"_**Why did you not tell them**_?" a familiar voice whispered.

_Now's not the time for them to know,_ she thought back._ The last thing I need is for them to be so worried about me that they get themselves killed._

"_**They will worry anyway, especially your lover.**_" A chuckle echoed in her mind. "_**This reminds me so much of how protective Corin was of me, once he realized he loved me. Your John seems the same.**_"

_How long have you been watching us?_

"_**Not long, but what I have seen is enough.**_" The voice faded as Laura felt the Pelican touch down. Unstrapping and jumping out of the seat, she all but bolted out of the dropship, eager to make sure all was safe before anyone got hurt.

"Clear!" she called, which was somewhat unnecessary considering the rest of the Spartans were right behind her.

"We noticed," Mark commented dryly. Laura glared at him and surveyed the area.

The landscape reminded her of the hills behind Camp Hayes: rolling and green. About four kilometers away was a large structure, though small in comparison to a lot of the Forerunner buildings she remembered: it was about the size of two football fields to look at. Overall, there was nothing to make her worried, but she had an uneasy feeling of death surrounding this place.

"Which way?" Fred asked. Laura held up a hand, meaning to hold position; a noise to her left had made her hesitate, but there was nothing to be seen.

"Friend or foe, show yourself," she called in the Sangheili language, guessing the identity of the concealed scout. Within seconds the distinctive armor of the Arbiter had materialized from thin air.

"The shipmaster said you'd be along," she nodded as the warrior approached.

"I would not miss a good fight, and I am curious to know the secrets of this place," the Arbiter replied.

"That makes all of us," John pointed out, moving forward to greet his old comrade. "Good to have you with us."

"Likewise, Demon," he nodded.

"Hate to interrupt, but maybe we should move this inside?" Kelly broke in.

"I agree," Tom nodded.

Laura didn't say anything, but she mentally agreed with them: the sooner they got this over with, the better. It was getting harder to think over the memories crowding her mind, and she felt too exposed out in the open. Deciding they'd follow when they were ready, she cocked her rifle and moved forward.

"Where you going?" Fred called.

"Inside," she replied over her shoulder. "Better make sure no one's waiting for us in there. Plus, the longer we wait the less time I have, remember?"

Behind her she heard everyone scrambling after her, but her mind was focused on the door controls in front of her. From the looks of things the building had been set into a lockdown mode, and without the codes they wouldn't get very far.

"Lockdown," Lorienna whispered. "Is there a data port somewhere?"

"We won't need it," Laura replied tonelessly, her voice distant as Alaya's consciousness nudged her.

"_**Let me in, and I can enter the codes. I have given you my word.**_"

--------

John and the others watched as Laura's face went blank, and her hand moved to the control panel. Opening a hidden catch, she revealed a keypad and entered commands so quickly they couldn't make them out. The door hissed open and she turned to face them: her eyes were the same as when she'd been in the holo-simulation.

"**She is safe, I promise you**," Laura whispered, but her voice had an unusual echo to it, like it was coming from a great distance. "**I swore I would not take her body for longer than was necessary.**"

"But why take it at all?" he asked, hoping Alaya could understand standard.

"**She does not have all the knowledge she will need, but I do. All I wish is to know what happened here, to my friends and comrades. Why do you think I called her here?**" Within seconds the distant look vanished, to be replaced by a stunned but conscious Laura.

"This is going to be awkward," she muttered, studying the open door. "Useful, but awkward."

"Laura?" John asked. She nodded.

"It looks weird, and I imagine you have a lot of questions about what just happened, but we don't have time for them now. I promise I'll explain later if we live through this." Raising her rifle, the Spartan took a deep breath and walked through the door.


	25. Chapter 24: Answers

Whew! Another summer over, which means back to school and publishing! Speaking of which, here's a new chapter--many thanks to Tiger Tank for his assistance (even if it's not as realistic as he'd like :P). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Answers

**July 1, 2558 1114 hours**

**Forerunner Planet: Stronghold**

**Unknown System**

It had been a constant firefight for the past several hours, practically ever since they'd set foot into the science facility—it felt like an eternity to the battle-weary group. From the minute they'd sent foot into the facility, they'd been attacked by disgusting, dusfigured demons that could only have come from someone's worst nightmares—and that someone would have needed a twisted imagination in the first place to create anything that even remotely resembled the Flood. The entire group was exhausted, especially Laura. _I shoulda taken the armor_, she thought as she dodged a swipe from a Combat Form's tentacled appendage; she'd been running away and popping shots at it for a while, and hadn't had much luck. Nearby she caught a glimpse of a plasma grenade detonating, and saw Fred and Kelly pumping bullets into a crowd of infection forms. To her right, Ash and Tom were alternating battle rifles with shotguns against oncoming combat forms, and Linda and Mark were on higher ground somewhere near the back, employing both range and their sniper rifles; Olivia, true to form (which Laura had finally figured out was stealth—the girl had an almost unnatural ability to blend in), was nowhere to be seen, unless you took the time to trace the various exploding corpses (which she did—Olivia was in the middle of the fight). Unfortunately, the brief moment of inattention came close to killing her—Laura only just avoided a swipe from the combat form's tentacles. _I _really _need a break here._ Pivoting quickly, she dodged another swipe and kicked out, finally catching it in the chest and knocking it back long enough to pump it full of lead and kill both it and the infection form in its chest; once she knew it wasn't getting up, Laura hurled a frag grenade in Olivia's general direction and called a warning—she noticed Olivia move back only just in time. The detonation was impressive: most of the Flood it hit turned into flying greenish body parts. _Most impressive,__ not that it really made much of a difference_, she thought as the monsters kept coming. The sound of gunfire was deafening, and her ears were ringing from the gunshots—making her wish she had a helmet and its included aural dampeners—and yet, even the rattle of bullets, the whine of plasma rifles, and grenade detonations couldn't drown out the squishing and slimy noises of the Flood. She came close to wetting herself listening to the inhuman screams and howls from the unending wave of horrors—this was terrifying to any sane human, let alone a Spartan, but somehow she managed to keep her weapon firing and herself fighting.

"We need to get a breather!" she shouted over the gunfire, throwing a spent magazine at an approaching pod.

"How?" Tom shouted. "There's nowhere that's not crawling with these things!"

"_**There is a room near here where you can rest. There is only one entrance, and the door can be sealed from the inside and reopened when necessary.**_"

_Thanks for the tip_, Laura thought. "This way!" Firing like a madwoman, she led the group in the direction Alaya's echo (for lack of a better term) indicated. There was a door, and next to it was a computer terminal, complete with data port. Trying the mechanism, Laura found the door locked; apparently the computers in this place locked all the rooms the minute the Flood got loose, some sort of safety measure.

"Cover me!" While Tom and Lucy did just that, Laura pulled the chip from her 'wristwatch' and slid it home; within minutes, she heard the door open and motioned for the group to get in. "Lorienna, shut the door!" As soon as the door was halfway down she dove under it, almost colliding with a pair of metallic green boots.

"Whose shoes?" she quipped, rolling on to her back and breathing heavily. The armored figure squatted down next to her, and she instantly knew it was John—the others wouldn't necessarily be getting so close and personal.

"Care to explain what that was all about?" John growled.

"Not much to explain, really." Sitting up, she looked around at her surroundings. "Looks like a storage room of some sort." The tables and equipment were coated in dust, and it appeared that it hadn't been touched for millennia…well, almost: there were multiple sets of large, non-human footprints in the dust on the floor, and a few tables were moved, indicating that someone had searched the room. _Covenant, most likely, and apparently they had no Engineers in the group, which in itself is bizarre. But, since our ugly pals the Flood have taken over, we won't need to worry about the Covenant hiding in here with us._ Though why the Flood weren't in this particular room was a mystery; she guessed that since the room had been locked before their arrival, the Flood had been barred entry. Laura scanned the room, noting where everyone had ended up. The group was scattered around the small room, erecting tables and moving equipment to form barricades, except for Tom and Lucy who were watching the door with rifles cocked.

"How'd you find this place so quickly?" Ash asked. Laura cocked her head and smirked.

"Guess. At any rate, this gives us a place to rest and regroup for a little—goodness knows we need it." Looking around for a computer terminal, she was disappointed when she didn't find one.

"She'll get in touch when she can," John reassured her.

"I know, but it'd still be nice to have the intel." Laura got to her feet and checked the room, making doubly sure there was nothing as far as the Flood were concerned. The only tracks in the room apart from theirs were Covenant, whose tracks showed them coming in and out of the room, and it appeared to be as Alaya's echo had said: the Flood weren't going to get in here for a while. "Anyone hurt?"

"A few bruises, nothing more," Ash reported, and Kelly confirmed it. "You're the one who needs to worry, really, since you're the only one without Mjolnir armor." _Ah, the all-powerful Mjolnir_, Laura chuckled inwardly. _A Spartan's best friend, apart from his __gun__._

"I've been fighting without it for too long, kid," she replied, eyes closed as she tried to pull some semblance of calm around her. "'Sides, we wouldn't've had enough time for me to readjust to Mjolnir, and the last two times I was in it I damn near died—I think it's jinxed for me." _Though third time's the charm, they say_, she thought to herself, but it came as no surprise when she thought about it: she wasn't too keen on change, and when she found something she liked or that worked, she tended to stick with it.

"You would cripple yourself simply for a false sense of security?" The low, bass-like tones could only come from the Arbiter; Laura opened her eyes to see him regarding her solemnly. "You are strange, even for a Demon."

Laura shrugged. "Strange or no, it works for me. There've only been a handful of times I've been seriously injured, and most of those would've happened anyway whether I had Mjolnir armor or not. I prefer having less bulk on me—which makes it easier for me to squeeze in tight spots." _Speaking of which…_ "Anybody got motion sensor readings on the outside?" Fred moved up to the door and slipped a fiber-optic probe under the door crack; the entire room watched him stiffen, which meant it wasn't good news.

"There's a small crowd around the door," he reported. "Looks like hiding out here wasn't such a good idea after all—we're trapped here."

"Maybe, maybe not." Laura closed her eyes as she felt Alaya's consciousness tugging at her.

_**There were security drones on Stronghold, as on every world. Perhaps your construct could draw them here.**_

_Except for one slight problem, Alaya—she's out there and I can't get to her to tell her._

_**What of her housing, the one you wear on your wrist? Can you use it to contact her?**_

_I'd need to take it apart and interface it with a computer terminal, but I don't have the tools or the time to do so._

_**Tools are easy to come by, if you know where to look. And you will not leave this room until you destroy the Flood outside.**_ Laura felt the echo trying to take over, and decided to allow it—all in all, she didn't have much choice, and decided to take a leap of faith.

--------

John watched as a blank look crept over Laura's face, and guessed that she'd once again allowed Alaya to take control. _She's starting to trust her, I think_. Laura—or was it Alaya?—stood up and crossed the room, rummaging for something and eventually coming up with what looked like a repair kit of sorts. Going for the wristwatch she wore, Laura took it apart and began pulling wires out with almost robotic precision: the next thing she did was disconnect the door control and tie in the dismantled device.

"Never would've considered that idea," Lorienna's voice suddenly echoed through the room. "Though how're you gonna fix it?"

"**Repairing the device is the least of your worries at this time**," Laura replied in distant tones—if John had had any doubt as to who was in control of Laura's body, they were dispelled as the Forerunner language flowed off her tongue. "**Can you find the program for Stronghold's security drones?**"

"Yes, that's easy to find. Not as easy to access though, but I can get in." The AI sounded cautious. "Why do you want me to go there, though?"

"**The Flood are crowded around this room, meaning Laura and her companions are trapped inside. If you can send the drones here—**"

"Then I can draw them away, at the very least," Lorienna finished, an understanding tone in her voice. "Just make sure you let her out once the gunfire starts."

"**I will**." Alaya disconnected the wires and proceeded to repair both the door connection and the wrist device; it took a few minutes, but after awhile each was as good as new. She turned and regarded the group of Spartans with something like amusement.

"**You fear for her, do you not?**" she questioned softly. "**I will not harm her.**"

"Sorry if we don't believe that right off the bat," Kelly commented, a bit of an edge in her voice. "From our perspective, all those memories of yours are driving her insane—and borderline suicidal."

"**That was my fault, and a misunderstanding. I communicated too strongly, and unwittingly caused harm. Now, though, I understand the stresses involved and have scaled back accordingly. She is as safe with me as she is with you.**" A small smile appeared as she turned her gaze to John. "**Well, maybe not as safe.**"

The sound of weapons fire on the other side of the door got everyone's attention, distracting them long enough for Alaya to vacate Laura's mind; when they looked back Laura stood there, cocking her battle rifle and checking the sights.

"Relax, guys, this time's me," she smirked. "Now let's go cap off some Flood."

--------

Laura slammed the door on the Flood invaders, literally: as the door had come slamming down, an infection form had been caught between it and the floor, and she had been splashed with green pus-like blood and a stench that made her stomach churn. Oddly enough, this room was completely empty, though there were lots of places where Flood could be hiding.

"Anything on motion trackers?" she whispered; something about this large room made her afraid of talking too loudly.

"Nothing yet," Fred replied. "Though that doesn't mean they're not here, those things can pop out of nowhere."

"Damn straight," she agreed, and noticed John tense. "Something up, Chief?"

"On Delta Halo, and on Earth, there were spores everywhere where the Flood were located. There's nothing like that here."

"Were there any on Halo-04?" she asked.

"No, which I never quite understood either." John shook his head. "This makes no sense, why is there a difference each time?"

Lorienna interrupted, having tapped into their comlinks. "As far as Halo-04 is concerned, I believe the Flood weren't out of confinement long enough for there to be any spores in the air. On Delta Halo, the Flood had apparently been loose for so long that there were spores everywhere."

"Neither scenario explains our current situation though," Fred pointed out.

"Does anything involving the Flood make sense?" Laura pointed out. "Let's just keep moving for now. We'll figure out the mysteries later."

Taking point, Laura moved forward, walking with a deceptive confidence, her booted feet making much less noise than the Spartans' armored soles—while she had to admit they were stealthy enough, she'd learned over time just how to apply pressure as she walked, and had had enough practice that she could walk over crackling brush with barely a sound. Alaya's consciousness was quiet, but she could feel the dead woman's shock in her own mind as she surveyed the area—for the first time, she could see evidence of a Covenant presence having preceded them. There were blood smears everywhere, a few torn and mangled bodies—mostly Brutes, but a few Jackals and Grunts as well, and all too battered for the Flood to use—spiker rounds embedded everywhere and scoring on the walls.

"Plasma burns," she muttered to the others. "Looks like the Covenant put up one hell of a fight." Amazingly that, some chunks of greenish-white flesh, and a few green pus-smears were the only indication of the Flood being here: as John had noticed, there were no spores floating around, and no one came to greet them. _Something's really screwy here_, she thought, her grip tightening on the battle rifle.

"Not surprising," John replied, watching her with concern; he knew it might only be a matter of time before she lost control. So far Alaya had kept her word and only taken over when absolutely necessary, but John still didn't trust the echos of a long-dead Forerunner.

"So what exactly are we looking for, do you know?" Tom asked from the rear; Laura didn't answer him right away, just kept looking around.

"I don't know…yet. Just keep your eyes open and your rifle cocked." She hefted her own rifle, wishing for her knives, a pair of plasma swords, or even the blades her brother had given her for her birthday._ Granted, they'd be useless for the most part, but I'd still feel better if I had them_.

A faint whine filled the air, and Laura stopped to listen: it sounded like it was coming closer. _Sentinels_, she thought, remembering how they were used as all-purpose mechanoids—sentries, workers, weapons, the flying drones could do it all. _Let's hope they're on our side_. An echo flashed through her head: an override code for the Sentinel's programming.

"Lower your weapons," she whispered when she saw an oblong metal object heading their way. Not even looking to see if the others had listened, she stepped forward. As she'd hoped, the Sentinels targeted her.

"**Protocol override Z-10105. Target only Flood forms, protect non-Flood sentients.**" The words came to her mind as easily as breathing, thanks to the override code Alaya had given her, but the Sentinels responded and formed a protective, floating circle around the Spartans.

"Let's keep moving, the Sentinels aren't going to bother us. The sooner we find the archives in here the better."

"Archives?" Kelly asked from the rear. "You never mentioned any archives."

"I just remembered they were there, like I just remembered the override commands for the Sentinels." Her reply was sharp, but Laura wasn't about to apologize. _If they're gonna be that dense…not my fault the memories are sporadic._

"Do you remember what this place was?" John asked. _Bless him, at least _one_ of them understands this._

"It was a science facility, specializing in biological materials—pretty much the only thing on this planet, which is why it doesn't have a name of its own, just went by the planet's. Alaya never knew for sure what was going on here, but there was something important being researched here before it fell. I'll bet we find some records in the archives; if nothing else it's a good place to start looking."

The group reached an open archway, or at least as open as the force fields allowed it to be. Hovering just in front of the archway was an older woman with graying hair and a sad expression. The hologram was disconcertingly real, and a cry of grief escaped Laura's throat before she could stop herself.

"Myrnia…" she whispered, a few tears trickling silently down her cheeks. The hologram must have heard her, since it turned to study her more closely. A voice recording played as the holographic woman spoke.

"**It is rare for love and war to mate.**" An old joke between herself and an old friend…no, between Alaya and a mother figure. It was getting harder to separate her own memories from Alaya's, something that could easily be bad news down the road.

"**But when they do, their child is great**." The figure nodded and blinked off, followed by the force field's deactivation. Laura moved forward, then stopped.

"I have to go on alone."

"Why?" The question was John's, and Laura didn't need to know him well to know he was worried.

"That message was meant for Alaya, not for any of us. Who knows what might happen if anyone besides me goes through that door?" Laura gestured behind her to the doorway. "I'm not willing to take that risk."

"And yet you allowed us to come this far with you," Ash pointed out.

"Not really, no—you guys insisted on coming along. I was going to go solo regardless, remember?" Laura's dark eyes silently asked them to understand. "I have to do this."

John walked forward and placed one hand on her shoulder, the closest the two ever got to displaying affection in the open: as a rule they tried to keep their relationship under wraps. "Be careful."

"As careful as circumstances allow," Laura nodded, smiling gently. Turning to the rest of the group, she called, "Keep the door open for me, will ya?"

"Will do. Good luck, Blade." Laura nodded to Fred, shouldered her rifle, and walked through the doorway. She heard the forcefield reactivate behind her, and the faint whine of additional Sentinels coming towards her.

_**I remember a time when I used to walk these corridors**_, Alaya murmured inside her head; she sensed both sadness and nostalgia coming from the dead Forerunner.

_Good, that means you can tell me which way I should be going_, Laura thought back.

_**I can do better than that**_. With that cryptic comment, Alaya's entire presence vanished. Shocked, Laura looked around frantically, unused to suddenly having her own mind back; the closer they'd gotten to Stronghold, the stronger Alaya's presence in her mind had become.

_**It is as I thought**_, Alaya's voice echoed from her left. Laura spun around to see a ghostly image before her, a translucent woman in a green gown. The ghost looked exactly like her, and smiled knowingly.

_**As I said before, my strength has grown, and enough so that I can manifest a form.**_ Alaya chuckled, the sound echoing as though from a great distance. _**I believe it is a relief to you to have your own mind back, yes?**_

"Somewhat." Laura lowered her rifle and nodded to the ghost. "So which way?"

Alaya led her through the winding corridors, a layout that reminded her somewhat of a labyrinth, to what looked like a computer terminal. Even Laura's brief glance said this was an isolated area, one Lorienna couldn't get to unless she were hand-delivered.

"Wonder what's here?" Booting up the terminal, Laura saw the login prompt: asking for the name of the greatest healer of all. _Since this was meant for Alaya…_Laura quickly typed in a name: FARA. The files were open to her.

'_**I leave this here in the hopes that someone will find this. We are doomed, the monsters have closed in around us, and all our security forces are useless to stand against them. Even as we fight we are consumed. The worst part is, we have done this to ourselves.**_

'_**Our communications relays are down, and there is no means available to us of sending this data to the rest of the Empire. I fear we will all fall to the product of our own genius. It is my hope that soon, someone will come looking for us, and find this data. Please, when you find it, bring it to Alaya of the science guild—she will know what to do**_.'

Laura scanned through that one file, her dark eyes widening in horror. In her own head, she could sense Alaya's horror and shock—apparently her strength had given out, and her apparition had faded and retreated back into her mind. She saw how the scientists here had tampered with a parasite found on an exploration ship, how they had genetically enhanced it to cope with any environment, how they had found a way to accelerate its evolution. Even as she thought they could do no more, Laura saw how they had introduced it to Forerunner soldiers in an attempt to create the perfect weapon—a weapon that had turned on them and somehow escaped the facility, only to spread throughout the Forerunner Empire.

"The Gravemind," she whispered in horror, realizing that the origins of the nightmarish creature John had described were right before her eyes.

_**No, this cannot be…Myrnia…all of them…they created the Flood?**_

"It would seem so," Laura muttered. Finding her datapad, which she had brought along for this very purpose, she quickly downloaded every file she could find in the terminal. _I can go through and sort it out later._ A touch of a button scrambled the data inside, and her own password would hold the encryption. _Let ONI crack _this_!_

Stowing the 'pad in a small pouch at her belt the minute the encryption was complete, Laura deactivated the terminal and stepped back. Without warning she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up—someone, or _something_, was watching her. She could feel a menacing, almost malevolent presence watching her, almost as if it were sizing her up. Chills ran up and down her spine under the scrutiny of this awful intelligence—it _was_ intelligent, of that she was certain. Slowly, making sure to not make any sudden movements that might spook whatever was watching her, Laura turned to face the new threat, one gloved finger cautiously moving toward the trigger…


	26. Chapter 25: The Beast Within

Hey all! Sorry it took me so freakin' long to update things. College, work, and writer's block don't mix too well--and then try planning a wedding around all of that with an uncooperative fiance (maybe I should superglue him to a chair?)...Oh well, I finally got it finished, and I apologize if it's not so good--major fight scenes aren't my forte. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Beast Within

**July 1, 2558 1438 hours**

**Forerunner Planet: Stronghold**

**Unknown System**

The thing resembled a human body, but only just. The remains of long grey hair hung lank and limp around yellow-green mutated flesh. Tentacles whipped around mutated arms, while the wrists hung limp away from where they had broken off. The face was contorted in pain, as if the original human had died in agony.

_**Myrnia…**_Alaya's ghost cried in horror, not wanting to believe what Laura's eyes couldn't deny. The Flood form approached and she recoiled, nearly dropping the gun—the sheer size of this thing was more than she was used to, it was as though the Flood had forced the mutated body to triple its natural size.

"**Do you not recognize me, little one?**" the thing spoke, bass tones mixing with lighter, feminine ones. What had once been Myrnia was now a Flood being, albeit one with more mass and intelligence than the average combat form.

"**I am not Alaya,**" she growled, forcing her hand back to the trigger and firing; the thing dodged and most of her shots went wild. Laura barely dodged a melee strike and sprinted away, fear giving her new strength.

_**By the gods, Myrnia! How could this happen?**_ Laura could feel the shock and fear coming from her mental companion; it was all she could do to keep going, the mental anguish she felt was nearly debilitating.

_This is the Flood we're dealing with,_ she thought back. _They don't care who they mutate, or how. Now can you do what needs to be done, or are you going to let us die here?_

Aloud, she asked the Flood-thing, "**I am not Alaya, but what, praytell, are you?**"

"**I am the Flood, the Master of this place**," came the reply. "**In time I will master the galaxy, and all beings will join me in eternity.**"

_So all that Myrnia was is gone_, Laura thought sadly. _And in her place we have a young, ambitious Gravemind. _Even though she knew coming to this place would be unpleasant, she hadn't expected this. _No time for that now, idiot!_ Dodging an oncoming swing from the Flood-monster, she pulled her submachine guns and let loose: their lack of accuracy wouldn't help her, but right now all she wanted was to score a hit.

--------

The videofeed from Laura's camera displayed grisly sights to the rest of the Spartan team, and as if that weren't enough, Lorienna had managed to hack into the building's security camera feed. John watched in horror as Laura tried to fight off the Flood form, a Flood form that proclaimed itself to be almost as great as the Gravemind—he still had the occasional nightmare about that creature.

"By the rings!" the Arbiter growled. "What is this demon?"

"Something bad, that's for sure," Lorienna agreed; for once the AI was as grim as the rest of them. "And knowing that Alaya's ghost is in there, too…if Laura can't push her aside…" she didn't need to finish the sentence.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Kelly asked.

"I could try sending the security drones in there. But with the way that thing is going, I don't know if they'll do much good."

"No, but right now she needs all the help she can get," John muttered through clenched teeth. "We're secure for now, I don't see any Flood getting through that big door at the moment, and she needs those Sentinels more than we do."

"What is that thing?" the group heard Matt Morisson's shocked voice come through the command frequency, reminding them that the captains of the various ships were also tuned in to the Forerunner tech._Who knows how much they've heard by now?_ John thought grimly.

"You were briefed on the Gravemind, Captain Morisson," John replied tightly. "What Laura's fighting is a younger version of it—and we can't get to her to help her." From the other side of the large door they heard banging and squishing noises, and the sounds of plasma fire. "Sound's like the Flood are trying to break through," Ash noted grimly.

"We need to hold the line," Fred told the younger Spartans; the older ones simply hefted their weapons and took aim at the door, which was beginning to glow at the center. "Lorienna, send the drones, we'll take care of things here."

"Got it." As the AI watched both the battle that was going on and the one that was about to take place, she grimly wondered if any of them would make it out alive.

--------

The thing was still going, in spite of the lucky shots she had managed to inflict—though when one considered the sheer mass of this Flood-thing, it wasn't all that surprising. Trying to keep hitting the thing was doing nothing more than pissing her off and draining her limited supply of ammo. Plus, Alaya's feelings of horror and dismay, while pushed to the back of her mind, were preventing her from finding any sort of weakness in the monster's attacks. All things considered, Laura had given up on simply killing the thing outright and was concentrating mostly on survival.

_I need a break_, she thought as she dodged a swipe from a tentacle and rolled back against the wall. Far off she heard the faint mechanical whine of Sentinel drones, but doubted they'd get there in enough time to keep her from turning into a corpse.

_**We are both skilled in melee combat, are we not?**_ Alaya murmured in her mind. Laura jumped, and the lapse in concentration allowed the Flood to score a blow; she went flying and landed against the wall, momentarily stunned.

_It won't do us any good, Alaya_, she replied mentally as she rolled away from another blow; the pain and her exhaustion were beginning to creep up on her. _I don't have my knives, remember?_ Pulling out a plasma grenade and priming it, she managed to stick the thing, but the resulting explosion didn't do anything beyond blow off an arm; the Flood form merely got back up and charged again.

"**You cannot destroy me so easily, little one**," the mutation's voice rumbled. "**I am stronger than you know. Join with me, and our power will become complete, our voices shall be as one, as shall the galaxy's.**"

"**And I am stronger than you know, monster**," Laura shot back. "**You shall neither have me, nor destroy me**." _I just have to hold out a little while longer_, she thought; the whine of the Sentinels had grown louder, which meant help was on the way.

The first searing beam of heat that struck the proto-Gravemind (the word suddenly whispered by mentally, even though she was content to think of it as a baby Gravemind) was a miracle to her tired eyes. A swarm of mechanical drones floated in to the room, and Laura began firing with renewed vigor, hoping that this would finally finish the fight. Unfortunately for her, the Flood had other ideas: one tentacle, which seemed larger than it should have, shot out and knocked several of its mechanical attackers out of the air. _Damn it, it's evolving!_ The Flood-thing was getting larger, and becoming less like a mutated human and more like some nightmarish demon.

_**It is growing**_, Alaya whispered in fear. _**It only needs a little more time and another Gravemind shall roam the galaxy.**_

_No shit, Alaya_, she mentally growled. _So how do I kill something that could easily toss me around like a rag doll?_

_**Do you trust me?**_ Laura felt the mental tugs Alaya was giving her, a sign she wanted control.

_What the hell, we're dead anyway if we can't figure something out_. Surrendering control, she felt her mind go blank.

--------

Lorienna watched as her creator simply stopped, her face taking on a blank look, and a thick, grey-green tentacle whipped toward her. Then, almost faster than she could see, Laura dodged the tentacle and came up almost right next to the Flood-creature, firing into its unprotected flesh. The thing cried out and lashed back, throwing her against a wall.

"**You seek to destroy me?**" the thing rumbled. "**Would you deny this galaxy the only thing that would bring it unity?**"

"**The unity you would bring is the tyranny of slavery and death**," Laura answered, but the echoing tones and the Forerunner dialect told the AI that Alaya had taken over. _Is she mad?_

"**So you would kill me, then, child?**" the thing rumbled. "**I taught you everything you knew, and you would kill me for it?**" _It's trying to pass itself off as Alaya's mentor, Myrnia_, Lorienna realized.

"**Not everything, Myrnia**," Laura/Alaya replied, diving toward a wrecked Sentinel and using Laura's strength to wrench a pair of jagged metal stalks from the wreckage. Spinning them around as though they were crude swords, she smiled. "**You never taught me how to dance.**"

And dance she did! As she watched Laura/Alaya thread her way through the flying tentacles and what remained of the Sentinels, Lorienna realized why Laura alone had been losing the fight: as a fighter she was unparalleled, but her weakness had always been in identifying new patterns—the only reason no one in the UNSC could match her was because she knew their techniques, and used techniques no one else remembered. Alaya, on the other hand, was both a scientist and a dancer, and more than likely had a talent for seeing patterns where no one else could. And watching the battle now, it appeared that Alaya had indeed seen a pattern that Laura had missed—she was dodging the tentacles and striking blows where before Laura had been getting tossed around the room. _Let's hope she can stay on her feet long enough to kill this thing_.

--------

Alaya smiled in spite of herself: though she was fighting for her life, the familiar patterns of her ancient dances calmed her, and took her mind away from the pain and horror she and this body felt. Myrnia was dead, and she had been forced to accept this fact and do what needed to be done—it helped that Laura had put everything into a clear-cut perspective. _I can speculate another time, for now I must put Myrnia to rest._ The proto-Gravemind was evolving faster than she had anticipated, but if she could get close enough she could pierce what passed for the mind of the Flood-thing.

As she danced her way closer to the proto-Gravemind, she dimly felt the pain her host's body (how she disliked using that term, but it was the only accurate one) was in: no doubt there were many internal injuries, as well as the many gashes and bruises adorning her host's skin. It was a miracle that she was still able to stand, let alone fight, but it made it that much easier for her to do what needed to be done. _I must get to the top of this thing, and pierce its head. But how?_ A tentacle whipped past her as she dodged the blow, and the beginning of a plan took shape in her mind. _Corin would tell me I was crazy_, she thought with a brief pang of sadness, which she pushed aside as she saw a tentacle swing at her. Waiting until the very last minute, Alaya jumped aside and grabbed hold of the enormous appendage; suppressing the nausea she felt as the slimy, pus-filled flesh made contact with her host's hand, she held on for dear life as the Flood—attempting to loosen her grip—began to thrash wildly.

_Hold on_, she felt at the back of her mind. _Wait for it to swing you up, then use the wall or ceiling to brace yourself, then you can steer yourself towards the head_.

_**Thank you**_, Alaya thought back, tightening her grip and suppressing another wave of nausea. She felt herself being thrown against a wall, then the floor, then the ceiling—_There!_ Getting her feet beneath her, she braced herself as Laura had advised, then pushed off. Laura's reflexes were amazing: she found herself right where she needed to be, right on top of the proto-Gravemind's head. _Now or never_, she thought. Raising her makeshift swords as high as she could, Alaya drove them straight down, deep into the brain of the creature. A deep, horrible scream penetrated her skull, the awful sound of bass tones and feminine screams combining nearly drove her to insanity—and robbed her of the reaction time she needed to escape the creature's death throes. Even as the proto-Gravemind died, its last few moments of agony sent Alaya and her host's body flying against a wall, where a giant tentacle pinned her there in a brief moment of agony before sweeping her into a corner filled with wrecked Sentinels. Realizing her danger, Alaya curled into a small ball, waiting for the creature's dying moments to end so she could get Laura's body out of here.

_I don't think I'm gonna make it_, Alaya heard at the back of her mind. _My body's way too beat up, I'm surprised you managed to last this long._

_**I have some strength left, but not too much**_, Alaya replied. Seeing that the Gravemind had finished convulsing, she got to her feet and braced herself against a wall. _**I can get you part of the way, but the rest will be up to you. Do you think you can do it?**_

_I'll try._ With that, Laura's voice fell silent, and Alaya began to limp back to the waiting team.

--------

Lorienna watched as Laura/Alaya finally managed to kill the creature, and staggered out of the room—surprising, considering Laura's biomonitors revealed extensive injuries, both internally and externally. That she was even standing upright was surprising, in all actuality. _I'll have to ask her later_, she thought as she turned her attention to the other battle—well, not much of a battle anymore. Once Laura/Alaya finished with the Gravemind, the Flood had reeled and scattered long enough for the Spartans and the Arbiter to mop up, which meant there weren't many left in the near vicinity. Directing the Sentinels to clear out the remainder of the Flood in the installation, Lorienna opened a channel to the Spartans.

"Laura's on her way back, but she's pretty banged up. Frankly, I'm amazed she's still alive, considering the beating she took."

"A little too sarcastic, are we?" Fred pointed out. Lorienna processed a flicker of embarrassment: that _had_ been a touch sarcastic, but she couldn't help it.

"If I seem overly sarcastic, First Lieutenant, it's because I'm worried. Considering the extent of her injuries, she should be unconscious at the very least. Yet she's still struggling back here, on her own power no less."

"We'll be ready for her." Fred killed the channel, and Lorienna watched as her creater collapsed in the corridor just meters away from the forcefield.

--------

Laura knew instantly when Alaya's strength gave out—it's hard to miss one's own broken body hitting a metal floor, after all. The pain was unbearable, and she was more than ready to give up right there. _I'm not gonna make it._

_**You must**_, Alaya's voice replied, though a lot fainter than it should have been. _**You must get the knowledge back to your people, and mine, if we are to prevent this from happening again.**_

_I…I can't. I can't even stand._

_**Then crawl if you must, but do not give up. You have fought too hard to simply lay down and die**_. Alaya's voice faded a moment, and then asked, _**Would you wish your lover to never see you again, and not tell him you love him one last time? Would you have him return home, to your children, without you?**_

The thought of John returning home alone, the thought of him telling Sam and Kelly that she would never be coming back, of never seeing her family again, brought a fresh wave of strength. Pushing herself off the floor, whimpering from the pain, Laura braced herself against the wall of the corridor and staggered forward. Around the corner she spotted the forcefield she'd entered by, and beyond that…_John!_ She forced herself forward, step by step…_almost there…_

The forcefield dropped as she got closer, and she swore she heard voices yelling, but it sounded far away. She crossed the threshold, her vision swam, and everything went black.

--------

"Laura's on her way back, but she's pretty banged up. Frankly, I'm amazed she's still alive, considering the beating she took." John's head snapped around, even though the video feed had gone black a long time ago and Lorienna had killed the camera feed.

"A little sarcastic, are we?" Fred replied; he saw his friend (and now superior) look over and shake his head, meaning now wasn't time for worry. _He's got a point, but still_…

"If I seem overly sarcastic, First Lieutenant, it's because I'm worried. Considering the extent of her injuries, she should be unconscious at the very least. Yet she's still struggling back here, on her own power no less." If Lorienna was admitting that, things must have been extreme—but considering he and the Arbiter were the only ones of the group who had actually seen a Gravemind first-hand and survived, it was understandable. _Even so, this wasn't even a fully-grown Gravemind, and Laura's that beat up?_

"We'll be ready for her." Fred killed the channel, then turned to the group. "Whatever we can spare from the med-kits, pull it. From the sounds of things Laura's gonna need all the help we can give her."

Kelly and Olivia went through the field medical kits, sorting through what they had left. Kelly ticked them off on her finger. "Three biofoam canisters, five syringes of morphine, two rolls of bandages, and a bottle of stimulants. Not much to go on."

"Save one canister and the morphine," John advised. "She won't take the drugs, and would go ballistic if we used all the biofoam on her."

"From the sounds of things she'll barely be conscious," Linda pointed out. "Better wait and see when she gets back—she'll need it more than we will."

"Sir!" Ash had been watching the forcefield, and his call made everyone turn; Laura was staggering toward them. She looked up, and John saw several conflicting emotions in her eyes: fear, hope, love, resignation, pain. Several large bruises and gashes adorned her frame, her blacksuit was torn to shreds, and a dribble of blood leaked from the corner of her mouth. _How is she even standing?_ He half-imagined that she looked something like this after taking on the Covenant army four years ago, but she'd had Mjolnir then…

"What the hell happened to you?" Kelly shouted.

"I don't think she can hear you," Fred muttered. The forcefield went down and she staggered closer, swaying dangerously. John moved forward and caught her just as she went down.

"Get me a med-kit!" He felt a canister of biofoam being pressed in his hand, and pumped it into one of the many gashes on Laura's body; nearby, he saw Linda doing the same, while Kelly went to work bandaging the rest. Fred forced her mouth open…well, tried to. Before he could get that far Laura's eyes flickered open, but the blank look gave her away: Alaya had taken over. Taking the stim from Fred, she calmly put it in her mouth and swallowed, winking for a moment before her eyes shut and she vanished.

_**I have bought her some time,**_ a ghostly voice whispered behind them, followed by the hiss of energy swords activating. Several heads shot around, and John saw the Arbiter menacing what looked like a ghost…

"Alaya?" The figure nodded, her outline faint and fading, but still distinct.

_**The way ahead is clear, but time is short. You must get her to your ships, before it is too late. Your medicines will help her, but they will not last forever.**_ The figure looked at John, a faint smile on her face. _**Take care of her.**_

"I plan to, if she'll let me." Alaya's smile widened, and she faded from view. John looked at the rest of his teammates and gently lifted Laura's battered body.

"We need to move."

Fred issued orders, and the group headed for the entrance, Lorienna going ahead through the computer systems and unlocking all the doors. They paused only long enough to stop at the storeroom where they'd left her computer chip to grab the AI, and headed straight for the Pelican—Lorienna had taken care of that as well, calling in for a pick-up before leaving Stronghold's computer systems. As soon as everyone was strapped in, the dropship lifted off, John holding Laura's body securely.

"John…" A faint whisper echoed throughout the cabin, and everyone looked in surprise to the wounded Spartan. Her eyes were open, she was breathing, but those were the only good signs.

"Hey, hang in there, Spartan," John murmured quietly. Laura simply smiled, the pain turning it into a tortured grimace.

"I'm not gonna make it, Chief, even I know that much. Don't need to be a doctor to calculate those odds." She reached up a shaky hand to frame his helmet, a trail of blood smearing along the iridescent green armor. "Got the Flood-thing, though…" Laura began coughing, spitting up blood, and her biosigns were peaking all over the place: not a good sign.

"You will make it, Spartan. That's an order."

"Can't order me around, Chief, you know this," she whispered. "Not in your command…" John felt the dropship dock and noticed everyone bailing out, and he followed, carrying Laura with as much care as he could. He saw Dr. Halsey and Arisaya in the forefront, and behind them various members of the Forerunner High Council. Dr. Halsey hurried forward, checking Laura's vitals with her datapad.

"Three fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, ruptured liver, several torn tendons, a fractured skull…how did she survive?"

"I have no idea, but I don't think she has long." John saw Fred come forward with a gurney of sorts, and they carefully loaded the wounded woman on it, Dr. Halsey directing them to the medical area. As they passed Arisaya, Laura's arm grabbed the young scientist's sleeve, weakly pulling her closer.

"Ari…saya," she whispered; the group stopped and watched as Laura slipped her a datapad and whispered something in her ear. Arisaya nodded, Laura smiled, and laid her head back, passing out again while the gurney continued its journey.

--------

Arisaya watched the small group head to the medical bay, the rest of the Spartans in tow, and the crowd in the landing bay dispersed. When she was satisfied that no one was watching, she removed the datapad Laura had given her. The characters it displayed were incomprehensible, but she had a feeling Laura had wanted it that way. She also had a feeling that the clue to deciphering them was also in her hands.

'_**Alaya is the key.**_'


	27. Chapter 26: The Truth Revealed

Hello to all my faithful readers! My apologies for the long hiatus--I didn't mean it! Exams, papers, and Christmas break all in one! Wasn't too bad, though--I got a good haul, good food, and a few mildly amusing stories which no one wants to hear. :D At any rate, the long awaited continuation of Halo: The Return Home--not too many chapters left!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Truth Revealed

**July 3, 2558 0238 hours**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**En Route to Sol System**

A lone figure sat at a data terminal, scowling thoughtfully at the message displayed in floating holo-glyphs, a message that had been staring at her ever since she'd plugged in an encrypted datapad she'd received from Stronghold.

CONTENTS SECURE, DECRYPTION REQUIRED…

PASSWORD?

Arisaya sat in front of the terminal, staring intently at the glowing characters before her. She'd been at this for several cycles, and the mystery was no clearer than it had been previously. Rubbing the bridge of her nose in an attempt to lessen the headache building there, she once again contemplated the cryptic message she had been given.

"_**Alaya is the key**_."

_What does that mean?_ Try as she might, Arisaya couldn't come up with a reason, an answer to the riddle that would unlock centuries-old secrets. The data had come with a price, though—the woman who had retrieved it had almost died bringing it to her. Now her body had been placed in cryogenic suspension, in hopes that she could be saved upon their return journey.

"_**Alaya is the key**__._" These were the last words she had whispered, choked out in one last desperate moment before she had collapsed completely. Arisaya had taken the reference to refer to Alaya herself, and had tried every name connected in their histories to the legendary scientist. Shaking her head, she retried some of the more obvious ones—the names of those who were close to Lady Alaya, and who had influenced her life in some way.

PASSWORD: _**ALAYA**_

ACCESS DENIED

PASSWORD: _**CORIN**_

ACCESS DENIED

PASSWORD: _**MARIN**_

ACCESS DENIED

PASSWORD: _**NARYSE**_

ACCESS DENIED

PASSWORD: _**THADDEUS**_

ACCESS DENIED

PASSWORD: _**FARA**_

ACCESS DENIED

PASSWORD: _**MYRNIA**_

ACCESS DENIED

Alaya's family and dearest friends weren't the key to the data encryption—and there were safeguards in place so that the password was the only way to get to the data. As frustrating as the encryptions were, she couldn't help but admire the level of defense Laura had put in to keep the data safe. _Laura may have been a soldier, but she knew far more than they guessed._ Shaking her head, Arisaya left the terminal, thinking a walk might provide an answer.

"**Arisaya, are you all right?**" Dr. Halsey, Fred, and Arynris were passing as she stepped out into the corridor. She smiled to herself in spite of the situation; Arnyris had finally dealt with his ego and zeal to reclaim their ancient home.

"**Merely tired, Doctor Hal-see. I have been trying to retrieve the data from Stronghold, and have had no success. Never would I have thought a soldier could be so clever with her encryptions.**"

"**Not every soldier has Laura's experiences and memories**," Fred pointed out. "**And Laura herself has been hacking into computer systems for years—encryption would come quite easily to her.**"

"**What codes have you tried, Arisaya?**" Arnyris asked, his tone of voice beginning to suggest admiration for…someone; Arisaya wasn't sure exactly who, but she guessed it would be Laura and her encryption skills.

"**I have tried the names of everyone connected with Lady Alaya, but none of them are the password. 'Alaya is the key' she said, but what could it possibly mean, if none of those work?**"

Unknowingly, the group had made its way to the cryogenic chambers, and stopped short at what they saw: a Spartan was sitting there, one armored hand resting atop a certain cryogenic pod—Laura's pod. They looked up once and nodded, then returned to studying the frosted interior of the pod.

"John." Dr. Halsey stated, moving forward to the pod itself; Arisaya and the others followed suit, and she caught her first glimpse of Laura since she had arrived, broken and bloody, covered in both her own blood and the green slime of the Flood. She was still covered in the gore, but her face…it looked like she had accepted death, and had prepared herself for it. There was no pain, no grief, just serenity and peace.

Arisaya heard a hissing noise, and looked over to see the Spartan remove his helmet; John's face looked worn and sad, a look she'd never seen on a Spartan's face before._ It looks as if he has broken, as if his spirit has died_.

"She wouldn't let us follow her, it was like she knew she was going to die. I should have gone with her, she shouldn't be dead." The gravelly voice was quiet, and she had to strain her ears to catch it.

"Laura knew—and she accepted it," Arisaya answered. "We were watching through the uplink—that message was for Alaya alone, or anyone who held her memories. Laura was the only one who could go; had you followed, who knows what might have happened?"

"She might still be alive, that's what would have happened," John glared. "She might not have had to face the Flood alone. She might not have collapsed as soon as she got back through that doorway."

"But she did, and we can't go back and change it now," Dr. Halsey interrupted, placing one hand on John's armored shoulder. "All we can do is hope."

Arisaya moved closer to the pod, searching the face of the woman inside. "**What did you mean, Laura? 'Alaya is the key' you said—what does it mean?**"

"Alaya?" John's gravelly voice interrupted her. "What are you talking about?"

Arisaya flinched; the way he was staring at her made her a bit uncomfortable. "She told me, before she died, she told me 'Alaya is the key.' I assumed that she was referring to the data she had found and encrypted on Stronghold." Before she could continue, John lowered his head, resting it on the cryogenic pod before them. If Spartans could cry, Arisaya half-fancied that tears would be streaming down his face at this point.

"It was my name for her, once we found out…It was our secret, we never told anyone." He looked up, and Arisaya could see the pain in his eyes. "She died trying to get that data to you, she trusted you enough to put her name in the clue—don't let her down."

Arisaya nodded, and placed her hand over Laura's frozen head, or as close as she could to it through the pod, in a gesture of respect. She turned and walked slowly back to her terminal, mulling over the possible passwords once again.

_She put her own name in the clue, he said. Laura? No, that would be too obvious. Spartan? No, that cannot be it. Forerunner? No, that would not be right—and I have already tried that. What…_ She stopped for a moment as something else John had said came to mind.

"_It was my name for her, once we found out…it was our secret…"_ A small smile formed on her face as she raced to her terminal. There were the familiar glowing characters blinking at her.

PASSWORD:_** JOHN**_

ACCESS GRANTED

The files were open and available to her eyes: thousands upon thousands of files of scientific data, research logs, personal journals, supply requirements, technical schematics. Arisaya skimmed through them quickly, searching through the piles of data until her blue eyes found the one that Myrnia herself had marked as important, the file that could have saved their ancestors, if they had only known.

'_**Our communications relays are down, and there is no means available to us of sending this data to the rest of the Empire. I fear we will all fall to the product of our own genius. It is my hope that soon, someone will come looking for us, and find this data. Please, when you find it, bring it to Alaya—she will know what to do**_.'

Blue eyes widening in horror, Arisaya began to read, her mind absorbing the secrets that had led to her people's destruction.

--------

Arnyris and Dr. Halsey found her later, sobbing in front of the terminal. Dr. Halsey deactivated off the terminal, and Arisaya looked up.

"**We killed ourselves, Arnyris**," she sobbed. "**Our ancestors created the Flood—they gave it the means to grow, to evolve, to destroy. We destroyed ourselves**."

"**What? How? You must be mistaken**," Arnyris shook his head violently, refusing to believe it. _How can this be?_

"**No, I only wish I was,**" Arisaya choked out, her voice cracking from her tears. "**It's all here, all of Stronghold's research. They turned a parasite into a weapon, hoping it could be controlled…it turned on them, it destroyed them all, destroyed **_**us**_**!**"

_She would not be this upset if she were lying_, a voice told Arnyris in the back of his mind. _And since you do not know what she has found, you should not condemn her._ Ironically, it made sense in a twisted way: nothing could have destroyed the great Empire (so he thought, since he had very little practical experience in war) from outside of it, so the Forerunners creating the Flood was the only logical conclusion. Still it was hard for him to take in; after all, weren't there safeguards in place to prevent this from happening?

A hiss from a hypodermic reached his ears as Arisaya's sobs quieted, and he looked up in time to see Dr. Halsey pocket a spent hypodermic. "**She is simply sedated, Arnyris**," the doctor smiled. "**She needed to calm down, but couldn't do so on her own. If you would be so kind as to carry her to her quarters so she can rest?**"

Arnyris nodded, trying to fight the unease—since he had feelings for the young scientist but wouldn't admit it, he was afraid of what people might say, especially if they saw her being carried through the corridors like this. Oddly enough, though, he met absolutely no one as he carried the unconscious scientist to her room—and her door was unlocked and open. A swirl of sparkles over a holopad formed into a familiar avatar: Lorienna.

"**Is she all right?**" the AI asked in the Forerunner language.

"**Sedated, and upset**," Arnyris answered, laying Arisaya on the bed; she stirred briefly, and he had a feeling Dr. Halsey's sedative was wearing off. "**You knew about this?**"

"**Only to the extent that she was upset and clearing the way—I didn't look at the data.**" Lorienna shook her head, dark hair waving gently. "**Honestly, I'm not sure I even want to know what Laura brought back. The only reason I'd look would be to try and stay ahead of ONI, but right now there's really no sense in it. They didn't go after her this time.**"

"**So it was true? ONI was trying to kill her all along?**"

"**Yes.**" The AI brushed a lock of holographic hair behind one ear, her dark eyes holding a look of sadness that even a human would be hard-pressed to duplicate. "**Too many times they've arranged missions for her to fail, and hoped she'd die in the attempt: she was a reminder of all the mistakes they've made with the SPARTAN-II program.**"

"**Then, she is better than the others? Fred, Kelly, all of them are less than her?**" Arnyris sounded shocked, but Lorienna shook her head sadly.

"**No, not in the sense that you think. The only thing that makes her greater than them is her ability to show emotion: she remembers how to feel and react, while the others were trained to be cold, at least on the outside. Take away her ability to laugh, cry, smile, and show her feelings, and she'd be no different than them.**" Lorienna stopped speaking and turned to the unconscious form of Arisaya, who appeared to be waking up. "**This is a discussion best left for later, young one. For now, I think it is time to see to your companion. Unless you are afraid to be seen here?**"

Arnyris was about to leave when he remembered a conversation just before they had arrived at Stronghold, a conversation he had all but forgotten over the last few days:

_"I…I wish to court her."_

_ "Then why don't you? There is nothing to stop her, or you, from courting and wedding each other in time, is there?"_

_ "In the laws, no. But Arisaya…I do not know if she returns my feelings."_

_ "Does she know?" Laura asked gently. Arnyris looked down, watching the river flow by, and shook his head. "Why?"_

_ "We grew up together, and when I was younger I was cruel, teasing her for her interests in the sciences, telling her she would never be bound to anyone, that no one would want her. And now…" the boy paused, and Laura could see this was painful for him to admit. "I felt myself being drawn to her long ago, but I kept up with the insults. It seemed foolish to suddenly change my ways, and I fear now I am too late."_

_ A small smile formed on Laura's face, and she reached over, putting one hand on Arnyris' shoulder. "It's never too late, young one."_

"**Arnyris?**" a soft voice murmured from the bed; the young warrior turned to find Arisaya looking sleepily at him. "**Why are you here?**"

"**Dr. Halsey had to sedate you, I carried you to your rooms.**" He looked away, unsure how to proceed. This was a new situation for him, and while he couldn't say it was unpleasant, he wasn't sure it was good.

"**Why did you stay? You brought me here, did you not? There was no obligation for you to remain.**"

_Now or never, Arnyris,_ he thought. "**I didn't wish to leave you, Arisaya.**" Moving to the bed, he sat down beside her and looked her in the eye, hoping she could see the truth there. "**I do not wish to leave your side again. For too long I've been a fool and kept you away, and denied myself in the process.**"

Arisaya smiled, understanding what he really meant—she had never admitted it to anyone, but she'd been in love with the young warrior for a long time, but was convinced he felt nothing for her. It was a welcome surprise to see otherwise. "**You are here now, Arnyris—that is enough.**"

--------

_There must be something in the air recyclers_, Lorienna thought with amusement. One part of her processors observed the young Forerunners, while another part drifted through the barracks cameras, stopping short when she saw Fred and Kelly, wrapped around each other and partially concealed by a support beam. _Now _that_ is something I wouldn't have expected!_ Her processors stopped when she reached the cryogenics chambers: John was still seated there, one hand atop the frosted pod where her creator lay motionless. A wave of sorrow rose up from her emotional subroutines, and she felt an urge to weep—or at least, if she had been human, she would have felt the urge. Rather, she felt the equivalent of sorrow, so much so that she almost turned her emotions off. _No, better leave them be. It's emotions that complete intelligence, after all. Logic alone can only go so far._ Besides, emotions were the key to understanding the humans and aliens around her.

She watched as John settled back against the bulkhead, obviously planning to sleep beside the cryogenic pod. Not a very wise move on his part—and she debated informing Dr. Halsey and the others—but she decided to maintain her silence. Everyone was upset by the mission in some way, and if sleeping in full armor next to Laura's pod helped the Master Chief feel better, then she wasn't going to disturb him. Settling herself into a more comfortable location in the ship's computer pathways, Lorienna decided to "rest" herself as well—while an AI never needed to rest, they still needed time to themselves every once in a while. Opening up one of the many Tetris program variations Laura had given her, Lorienna began to relax herself.


	28. Chapter 27: Choices

Dun-dun-dun! Last chapter! Hope you enjoyed, but be alert for the epilogue. By the way, in case anyone was wondering, the poem recited is entitled "I Looked", written especially for this chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Choices

**July 4, 2558 1312 hours**

**Sangheili Encampment**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

_These young ones are more trouble than they appeared,_ Aro 'Benamee thought for what seemed the millionth time since he took the children under his wing. The young Demons had escaped their instructors yet again, and the entire contingent of Sangheili, Unggoy and others were busy searching for them. _Perhaps I shall tie them to a wall for the next few cycles,_ he thought, but without anger. It was hard to be angry with the young ones, for a number of reasons: first and foremost, they already showed the potential to be skilled warriors, even as young at they were—the constant escapes from their teachers were proof of that. They were also children, and while they needed more discipline than most Sangheili young ones, even 'Benamee couldn't fault them for their games and amusement, mostly because their 'games' used much of their training and helped them practice. But above all that, they were his friends' young, and he respected Laura enough to train and safeguard her young while she was away. _Though I hope she returns soon, the young ones are wearing everyone's patience thin._

"Sam, Sam, lookit, lookit!" From a short distance away he spotted the little humans near a warehouse at the edge of the human camp: Kelly, who he knew to be the more creative of the pair, was pointing out an old, rusty drain that hung from the building. From the drain hung a flowering vine, with one deep violet bloom as large as his clawed hand.

"Wanna get it?" Sam answered, and even 'Benamee could see the wheels turning in the twins' minds. Almost without blinking the pair moved to a stack of old crates that lay nearby—from what 'Benamee could see, they were filled with ammunition left over from the war. _Sloppy, for the humans to leave such things lying out and unguarded. Suppose someone came and made off with them?_ Still, he kept his silence and watched, ready in case the children came to harm.

"It's not movin'," Sam grunted, trying to shove one box closer to the drain.

"Move back, I wanna try somethin'," Kelly grinned, reaching for a length of pipe nearby. Sam seemed to understand, and used all his strength to tilt the box just enough for the pipe to slide under; Kelly then tipped it on its side. It moved, certainly—and burst open, scattering the primitive projectiles that humans favored in their guns.

"Ooooooh, wonder what these are," Kelly murmured.

"Duh, Kelly, Mom has these in the secret cupboard, remember?" _I must remember that, Laura will want to know her supplies are no longer safe._ Deciding that the two had caused enough mischief for one day, 'Benamee stepped forward loudly; Sam and Kelly jumped up, guilty looks on their young faces.

"I see I've arrived just in time, little ones," the Sangheili rumbled. "Just in time to keep you from harm. And why are you here, rather than at your lessons?"

"We just wanted to go on an adventure," Sam whined; 'Benamee scowled.

"You whine like a newborn—have you learned nothing? Warriors do not whimper like babes, nor do they abandon their duties. They accept their orders and punishments with equal dignity." 'Benamee felt a small rush of pride as the two little ones snapped to attention and ceased whining. "Now, off to your lessons, and your teachers will tell me if you do not arrive."

_I hope Laura returns soon_, he thought as they ran off. Gazing at the clear sky, he prayed that she was safe and whole.

--------

**July 10, 2558**

**Forerunner Dreadnaught **_**Petrarch's Glory**_

**En route to Sol System**

_She was floating in blackness, a sea of endless black night. There were no stars, no lights, nothing but a soft warm universe free from pain, a dark comforting twilight._

_ "She does not belong here, not yet." Whose voice was that? Who was there? She tried to speak, but no words formed._

_ "She will not stay for long, you know this." Another voice—it was so familiar, who was it?_

_ "It will seem long to her, if I know anything about my angel." Her Nana's voice, she knew that one all too well—oh, how she missed it!_

_ "They left her here, abandoned. Why would she awake from it?" Another voice, familiar and strange all at once._

_ "They had no choice, none at all. She must remain until she can be healed." The second voice—she knew her! Alaya!_

_ "The child is aware of us," the first voice spoke—Thaddeus, she remembered._

_ "Then we should help her," Nana murmured. A faint light grew from somewhere she couldn't see, and she found herself in Nana's bed. Oh, how she remembered this bed—she and Nana shared it when she was small. The worn quilt that she'd fingered so curiously as a child was up to her chin, and she felt one of Nana's funny pillows under her head and neck._

_ "You're as wild as I remember you, angel," Nana chuckled, and in spite of herself she smiled._

_ "Where…where am I?" Her voice was cracking, and a gnarled brown hand offered her a glass._

_ "Drink slowly, child," Thaddeus cautioned. "You are still very weak."_

_ She nodded and sipped from the glass, Alaya helping her to sit up. There had been one more voice…she saw Corin seated on Nana's wooden chair, the chair where Nana left her petticoats and sweater at night._

_ "You are in a waiting place, little warrior," Corin intoned—his voice sounded so much like John's. "This is not the first time you've been here, I think."_

_ "No, I have been here once before, only in Nana's kitchen then." She looked at her smiling grandmother. "Why am I in bed?"_

_ "You need rest, Laurabeth," came the answer. "Even for you, you overdid things. Had it not been for this young lady, you would've died on that planet."_

_ "I could not leave her there, not after all she has done for me," Alaya protested._

_ "Alaya, beloved, no one is faulting you. If anything she commends you for your actions."_

_ Pain, waves of searing, unimaginable pain. She cried out, upsetting the glass the old San 'Shyuum held—it felt like someone was slicing into her liver._

_ "They have arrived," Corin murmured. "She has returned home once more."_

_ "Does that mean they'll be taking care of my baby for once?" Nana sounded angry, and she would've laughed if it didn't hurt so much._

_ "She has some friends, _cesea_," Alaya smiled; she recognized the Forerunner word for grandmother. "They will not give her up so easily."_

_ Another wave of searing pain, flared across her ribs, and the four—spirits? ghosts?—regarded her solemnly. "Take care of yourself, little one," her grandmother whispered._

_ As she spiraled away, she heard Alaya's voice chanting:_

_I looked into the darkness,_

_And could not turn away._

_For it was my face I saw,_

_Though in dark, not in day._

_I walked alone in daylight,_

_No laughter could I hear._

_For just as darkness follows day,_

_So joy is chased by fear._

_I whispered to the moonlight,_

_No answer did it give_

_Of how all life is to survive_

_If they so fear to live._

_I stared into the darkness,_

_My face stared back at me._

_And though behind me light did rise,_

_I could not turn to see._

_Before me lies in darkness_

_The road that I must take._

_And even though I choose my path,_

_There is no choice to make._

--------

**July 18, 2558 1023 hours**

**Adams Medical Facility**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

Her hearing awoke first, trying to sort out the babble of voices around her. _Sounds like the river almost,_ she smiled mentally. Her body resisted movement—dimly she wondered how long she'd been out of it—but she tried to force open her eyes.

"Mommy's wakin' up!" The young boy's yell almost shattered her hearing, but she couldn't fault him—if he was getting this enthusiastic over her waking, things must've been bad.

"Laurabeth, can you hear me?" _Mom_, she thought.

"Mama?" her voice croaked. "That you?"

"Yes, sweetheart," her mother answered. "How are you feeling?"

"Can't move much…eyes don't wanna open." A glass was tilted against her lips, and she felt cool sweet water shaking against her mouth; she drank it eagerly.

"She'll be fine if she's gulping like that," Kelly snickered; the Spartan sounded happier than Laura'd ever heard her before. Finally managing to pry her eyes open, Laura took note of the group of people in the room: Kelly and Fred were arm-and-arm in a corner, John and her mother were beside her bed. Sam and Kelly were _in_ her bed, Kelly struggling to hold the glass of water steady.

"Bright lights," she whispered once the glass was empty.

"Not really, you've just been out for a while," John murmured. Lightly fingering a lock of her hair, he continued, "About two weeks since we pulled you out of Stronghold."

"Dr. Halsey stashed you in cryo almost as soon as we got to the dreadnaught," Fred added. "You only just came out of it a few hours ago."

_Makes sense, considering whatever I dreamed—or was it a dream?_ Trying to mover her hand, she was rewarded with a faint motion on her left side; Sam, who was on that side, snuggled under her arm, while Kelly did the same on her right.

"We been good, mommy," Kelly stated, her pixie-voice filling the room. Sam added, "We been training with Uncle Aro every day, he taught us lots."

"I'm sure he did, little ones," Laura whispered. "I'm sure he did."

Dr. Gedeon noticed how Laura's voice was fading—she was falling asleep again. "Visit's over, little ones, Mommy needs her rest. How about we go make her a get-well present?" she added, seeing the downcast looks, which instantly reversed at her suggestion. The twins allowed their father to lift them off the bed, and scampered after her. Taking the hint, Fred and Kelly followed, leaving John alone with the convalescent Spartan.

"Told you so," he whispered, lightly kissing the top of her head.

"Gonna hold it over…me?" Laura murmured softly. _She's fading fast_, he thought. Smiling, he shook his head.

"Get some rest, _alaya_," he whispered. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

--------

**September 4, 2558 1525 hours**

**UNSC Reserve Base Camp Hayes**

**North America**

It had taken over a month for her injuries to heal, and even now she still had some wounds that hadn't quite finished mending. At the moment she was walking with a noticeable limp as she made her way to the administration building—she had a meeting to attend with some of the UNSC's top brass. Her cane tapped up the stairs and down the hallways as Laura walked to the biggest meeting of her life, and hopefully the most life-altering one since her drafting into the SPARTAN-II program.

_Before me lies in darkness/The road that I must take. And even though I choose my path/There is no choice to make_. The words rang as clearly in her mind as the day she'd heard them, the day she came back from the dead, as it were. And even though the poem was about having no choice, Laura knew she had choices available to her—all she needed to do was take them.

The doors in front of her swung open, and beyond them she saw familiar faces: General West, Admiral Hood, and Ackerson, the bastard. There were others she didn't recognize, but for now she disregarded them. _Remember what you're doing, and who you're doing it for_, she thought.

"SPARTAN-000, BLADE," Lord Hood started things off. "You are to be commended for the data you brought back. It's been most invaluable to date."

"Thank you, sir," she answered, her grip tightening on her cane—'Benamee had made it for her, and her name was inscribed on the curling handle in Covenant symbols. "I can only hope it hasn't been used to create more Flood forms."

"No, we've had more of those than we can handle already," one of the unnamed faces commented. Laura couldn't help the half-smile that formed on her face.

"And regarding that, I understand you have a request for us?" West picked up. _Bless the man, he doesn't miss a beat_.

"Yes, sir, I do." Laura took a deep breath, then said in as clear a voice as she could manage, "I would like to request a release from active duty."

Judging by the reactions, it wasn't what they were expecting. Jaws dropped all over the room, and a babble of voices rose up, each one trying to shout the others down. When order had finally been restored, Lord Hood regarded the Spartan sternly.

"Is there any particular reason for this request?"

"Yes, sir, several in fact. The most obvious being that I'm not just a soldier anymore—I have two young children that need my attention. I can't expect everyone else to drop what they're doing and babysit when I go on a mission for ever, and I don't trust ONI to let them be when I go off. And after I nearly died for a second time on a mission, I realized that I can't keep going the way I'm going anymore. I'd like to come out as intact as possible while I still can. If it takes more than a few weeks for me to recover from injuries, then there's no way I can continue risking my life and possibly leaving my family behind."

"Is there anything else you'd like to add?" Ackerson was practically grinning. Laura simply smiled.

"Yes, in fact—a little birdie told me that a number of SPARTAN training camps would be cropping up. I daresay one of them could use an instructor somewhere along the way, wouldn't you?"

--------

"I can't believe they accepted it," she murmured later that night. The bed creaked as John rolled over to face her.

"You brought up a lot of valid points, _alaya_—and you can't exactly hide the fact that you're hurt." A frown marred his features as he traced the latest batch of scars, still puffy and red from the many surgeries used to repair her nearly-shattered body.

"And here I was hoping I'd heal overnight, like you seem to," she teased, tapping one finger lightly on his chest. It was one of the many things they disagreed on, how she supposedly needed time to heal while he was ready for a mission right there.

"At least you only have to worry about the really important missions from now on, and with those training camps…"John's voice trailed off as he began to kiss her neck, grinning as he heard her gasp—he knew he'd hit the right spot.

"Nice…nice to know I won't get…get bored…" _Damn, he's gotten better at that_, was the last coherent thought of the night.

--------

**May 10, 2578 0900 hours**

**Williams Training Facility**

**North America**

The young recruits shifted uneasily in the practice room, wondering about their next class. Each one of the teenage soldiers had been hand-selected for elite martial arts training almost immediately after their augmentations, and had been shipped here the minute their recovery period was over.

"Ten-hut!" Each of the fifteen recruits snapped to perfect attention as their instructor came into view: an older woman with stern features and a dark brown braid streaked with silver. There were no ribbons or medals on the all-black uniform, and the only insignia was a pair of crossed silver knives, but there was no question that she was a SPARTAN-II. She walked briskly to the front of the room, regarding the recruits with a piercing, assessing glare.

"At ease," she ordered, watching the teens relax slightly. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she began a speech that had been recited over and over for the last twenty years.

"You are SPARTAN soldiers, the best of the best of the UNSC Navy. You've learned more in your classes than any other enlisted soldier or Academy graduate, and you've survived challenges that would kill any normal Marine. You are a weapon, the finest in the UNSC. Those of you that stand here now were hand-picked to learn even more than you were taught: you will be beaten, bruised, shattered and reshaped from what you are now into the sharpest, most deadly weapon in the UNSC military. There will be no coddling, no slacking, and no favors for any of you; some of you will curse the day you were selected for this program. In the end, though, you will be the best that we can make you, you will be able to take on the odds and win.

"This is your last chance—anyone who wants to back out now can do so. After today, you're in it for the long haul. So if you think you can't handle what I'm about to throw at you, there's the door." Not one recruit even so much as looked at the door, and the instructor allowed a half-smile to form on her face.

"I see you think you're up for it, but we'll see just how capable you really are. From now on you're in my hands, and I expect nothing less than the best—and neither will the battlefield. But I promise you, when you're done here you'll be capable of anything." _And let's hope none of you fold before the gambling starts_, Laura thought to herself, but she wasn't worried, since these were the best recruits she'd seen yet.


	29. Epilogue: Face Behind The Mask

Lately I've gotten quite a few comments declaring my Halo character to be a "Mary Sue" type character, basically saying that she was too good to be true. That was never the impression I wanted to give, and I'm a little upset by that. This is my response to all those who said that my character was too good, and also a farewell: with this story, the "Blade Chronicles" have come to an end. If anyone wants to pick it up, just ask first. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Halo.

Epilogue: Face Behind The Mask

"Liz! Liz, wake up!"

"Huh? What?" Elizabeth Masters started suddenly to meet the gaze of her boyfriend, Dan Howard.

"You spaced out on me again," Dan muttered, leaning across the counter and rumpling her brown curls. Okay, _technically_ her hair wasn't curly, but it still had enough of a wave to it to cause problems occasionally.

"Sorry, didn't mean to. I was just thinking."

"About?" _Persistent today, aren't we?_ She smiled—that was one thing she loved about him, the fact that he was so determined to pry answers when she had a problem.

"I just had a rough day again, is all," she answered, pushing her glasses back up on her nose—they had a tendency to slide down a lot. "A pretty bad one."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough that I ran and hid again," she admitted. He frowned, and she knew he wasn't happy about her alter-ego. She'd told him about BLADE and her other characters, and at first he'd only shaken his head and told her that she "was going to die a nerd." Now that he understood the reality of the Halo character she'd created, he wasn't nearly as thrilled.

"Hiding in Halo isn't doing you any good. I still don't understand why this BLADE person is so special."

"She helps me cope," Elizabeth defended herself. "She's basically everything I'm not: confident, strong, smart, not to mention sexy as hell. Add to it that almost nothing can stop her when she sets her mind to it…compare that to me and I'm sure you'd see the appeal at once."

Dan got up from his chair and joined her in the kitchen, where only minutes before she'd been keeping an eye on a boiling pan full of pasta. "You know I don't like it when you hide like that. You need to learn to let her go."

"I…I don't think I can," she started to say, but he cut her off.

"So what, you're going to spend the rest of your life being BLADE instead of Liz Masters? You can't live that way, and you can't spend the rest of your life hiding in some fictional character!"

"Damn it, Dan, will you let me finish!" She wasn't really mad at him, since she knew he was worried about her, but being interrupted was one thing that was guaranteed to set her off.

"I know I'm not BLADE, that I'm not a SPARTAN-II, and that I'm not some ultra-sexy and deadly chick who's not afraid to stand up for herself. And I know that I'll have to let BLADE go eventually, that I can't keep escaping through her. You think I enjoy hiding from real life all the time?" Elizabeth paused and took a breath, trying to control her outburst. "I know all that, but I just…I can't let go yet. I'm not ready to let go."

"When?" he asked. Elizabeth looked at him and smiled.

"I don't know when. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in a month, I don't know. But someday—hopefully soon—I'll be able to let BLADE go. Just not yet."

She watched his face, hoping he understood. Dan simply stood there and nodded, right before pulling her closer for a hug. She returned the favor, resting her head against his chest and simply enjoying just _being_ there. Unfortunately the moment was cut short by a loud hissing noise.

"Shit, it's boiling over!" Elizabeth yelled, darting to the stove to try and save their dinner. Grabbing the handles, she lifted the hissing pot off the burner long enough for the boiling to subside while Dan turned the burner's heat down.

"Nice save," he snickered. Elizabeth glared at him briefly before turning back to the stove. Once she'd judged the pasta to be done, she drained it and returned the pot to the stovetop once again.

"Make yourself useful and work on the biscuits, why don't ya?" she grumbled. Reaching for a plate of crumbled Italian sausage and a jar of spaghetti sauce, she dumped each item into the pot and stirred thoroughly with a long spoon.

Dan smiled as he watched her "throw some dinner together", as she called it, a small smile on her face. Cooking was fun for her, and one of the few times he saw the real Liz Masters come through; life had dealt her a rough hand and she was still learning to deal with it. She tried not to let it show, but unfortunately for her she had an absolutely horrible poker face. _She's come a long way, though_, he reminded himself.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Elizabeth asked, poking him lightly in the shoulder.

"Just thinking how lucky I am," he answered, kissing her cheek. A faint blush lit her face as she shook her head.

"I feel bad for you, you have no idea what you're getting into," she deadpanned, setting a plate of what she called "creole" in front of him.

"I could say the same," he smiled.

--------

Elizabeth sat in the living room, taking care not to make much noise. Dan had passed out a while ago, but she was too keyed up to sleep at the moment. Something Dan had said earlier kept rolling around in her head.

_"You need to learn to let her go."_

_If only I could_, she thought sadly. _If only I were strong enough to let her go_. She was a little afraid to be herself—and in all honesty didn't know who her real self was sometimes—so she lived her life through fictional characters, idealized images of who she wished she could be. BLADE was one of her favorites: a misfit SPARTAN-II overcoming impossible odds and eventually finding peace.

Still, Dan was right: she couldn't live through BLADE forever, and needed to let her go. What he didn't know was that it was getting easier to live in real life, thanks to him. He made her feel confident about herself, confident to live life and take chances. In short, he made her want to be better, and gave her the courage to try.

_"I can't let her go yet. I'm not ready to let her go."_

She still needed BLADE, yes, but maybe it was time for a fresh start. But at the same time, it wasn't enough to simply "let her go" and move on. No, BLADE had become something tangible, something real, and at times Elizabeth could see her alter-ego actually _living _the life she had created in her mind. _I just can't throw her away like she was nothing. But how…_A small half-smile crept across her face as she reached for her Macbook; opening the case, she pulled up Microsoft Word, pushed up her glasses, and opened a new document.

_Now, where should I begin_? She thought a moment, allowed the beginnings of an idea to take form, and typed:

HALO: THE SECRET SPARTAN


End file.
